City/Realm name:
Xub'Roth
Flag/Banner:
NATIONAL
Capital:
Xub'Roth
Government Type:
Xub'Roth is ruled over by the senior members of the Shrouded Priests, the clergy of the Nameless Cult in Xub'Roth. The highest authority in the Cult is the Shrouded King, who combines the roles of monarch and high priest into a single position. Though the Shrouded King is the highest authority in the land, he is assisted in the running of Xub'Roth by a body known as the Elder Conclave. The Conclave is a group of Shrouded Priests, traditionally only older and more experienced individuals, personally appointed by the Shrouded King to advise and aid him in area of their expertise.
The governance of the smaller settlements of Xub'Roth is usually left up to the decision of the Shrouded Priests living there, electing one of their number to serve as the ruler and arbitrator of the settlement. However, the Shrouded King may intervene and appoint an individual of their choosing to rule the settlement. This, however, is usually only done in extenuating circumstances and usually the Shrouded King respects the local priests' right to choose their own local leader.
Currency:
The basic currency of Xub'Roth is the mi, a small and square coin made of gold. There are other coins of both lesser and greater worth, but their value is based around that of the mi.
Population:
110,000
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GEOGRAPHICAL
Major Towns/Colonies:
The largest settlement in Xub'Roth is the city that also hold the name of Xub'Roth. Located near the center of the ruined Xub'Roth, it is composed predominantly of building restored and built up from the ruins around what appeared to have been a palace in its heyday untold aeons ago. It is the largest settlement within Xub'Roth, its winding and labyrinthine streets being home to nearly half of all people within Xub'Roth. The most notable landmark is the restored palace complex where the Shrouded King dwells, but there are also numerous temples to the Nameless Ones and Monasteries in which the Shrouded Priests dwell.
In addition to Xub'Roth there are numerous settlements within the ruins of Xub'Roth. The largest of these are made up of restored stone structures much like the city of Xub'Roth is; the smaller and poorer settlements usually make do with flimsy wooden structures build over and around the ruins. The most important of these settlements are the mining towns along the western mountain-side of Xub'Roth's plateau. They exist primarily to extract the mineral wealth from the mountains, especially the precious metals and gems that can be found there. In addition, many of them have terrace farms along the slopes of the mountains, making them one of the few places which are able to produce food within Xub'Roth.
Major Castles/Fortresses:
Xub'Roth has several major forts along its borders known as citadels. The citadels are all restored forts along the ruined outer wall of Xub'Roth, which runs the entirety of the ruined city's cliff side. Though most of the wall itself has fallen into disrepair and large chunks of it barely exist, the restored citadels are complexes based around a central keep. Though their main purpose is to keep a watch out for enemies who may be approaching, and to light great signal fires to warn the rest of Xub'Roth if they do see any. Additionally there are several smaller forts as well, but they pale in comparison to the citadels.
Buildings of Interest:
Within Xub'Roth there are several impressive pieces of architecture, though most of them have been restored from the ruins. The first of these is the Palace of the Shrouded King, oftentimes just referred to as the Royal Palace. Located in the center of the city of Xub'Roth on a hill looking over the rest of the cities as well as the ruins surrounding it, the Royal Palace can be seen from all but the deepest parts of the city. It consists of several immense and massive stone walls, which enclose a sprawling complex of temples, monasteries, houses, and gardens. The Palace proper is the largest of these buildings, and is home to the Shrouded King and his family. In addition, rumour has it that a mysterious object of immense power lies deep within the bowels of the Palace of the Shrouded King.
In addition, there are several massive and towering temples dedicated to the Nameless Ones throughout Xub'Roth. Though the monasteries of the Shrouded Priests are spartan and plain, the temples are built as monuments to the majesty and glory of the Nameless Ones. And all of these also hold the catacombs where the dead of Xub'Roth are interred. While in small settlements the temples are more modest and the catacombs small, in larger settlements the Temples are often the largest and most grand structures in the city with catacombs that expand into a maze of tunnels where the uninitiated are liable to get lost and join the dead around them.
Geographic Features of Interest:
The entirety of Xub'Roth is located on a major geographic feature: a great plateau jutting out of the side of the mountains. The plateau is bordered on one side by the mountains of the Bones, while on the other is a great cliff that drops off into the foothills at the Bones' base. In addition, there is a massive river that runs through the plateau, and thus the ruined city, bisecting it in two. It begins high in the mountains and enters the plateau through a great waterfall on the mountainside edge and exits the same way on the cliffside edge.
Territory Description:
Xub'Roth is a city located within a massive complex of ruins far larger than any other city in the world. Where other nations would have untamed wilderness, Xub'Roth has crumbling roads and buildings, decaying from age and overgrown with all manner of plant life. The actual inhabited city of Xub'Roth is located near the center of the ruins, with smaller inhabited areas being spread throughout the ruins. Because of this, there is next to no arable land in Xub'Roth and they rely almost entirely on imported food to sustain their population. However, almost to offset this the mountains that are encompassed by Xub'Roth are very rich in gems and precious metals. And these same mountains provide an impressive defensive barrier to any would-be invaders; any attacking army would need to fight their way up the citadel-guarded cliffs or cross down from the mountains. And once then, they would need to fight their way through the dense, crumbling ruins. However, Xub'Roth is incredibly easy to siege as a result of their need to import nearly all their food.
RACIAL
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RELIGION & MAGIC
State Religion:
The Nameless Cult is not only the state religion of Xub'Roth, the Shrouded Priests control the government of Xub'Roth. They are lead by the Shrouded King, who is a descendant of the great Prophet who lead his followers to Xub'Roth and founded the modern state among the ruins.
Religious Information:
The Nameless Cult is a religion based around the worship of a plethora of deities known as the Nameless Ones. The Nameless Ones are so named because they have no names and no forms; they are more a divine force than they are a pantheon of gods. Their priests do not differentiate between any individual Nameless Ones, as there are no individuals to differentiate between and so are always worshiped together as a group. There are a number of different Rites and Rituals that their priests perform in order to placate and honour the Nameless Ones, though they can differ from region to region and some can be more savage than others. The Cult itself has no specific code of morals that its cultists must follow, aside from worshiping and honouring the Nameless Ones and their glory.
The Nameless Cult's view of other religions is generally the same. They do not outright deny the existence of other Gods. However, they view all of them as inferior to the Nameless Ones. They view Justinian, however, as nothing more than a worthless pretender leeching power from those who have true power. And as a result they tend to view Justinians in a worse light than the followers of
other religions.
Religion Demographics:
The vast majority of Xub'Roth's population are member of the Nameless Cult, if only laymen. However, the Shrouded Priests do not actually ban other religions from being practiced within the confines of Xub'Roth. However, they were not allowed the rights to public places of worship or to proselytize within the nation. As a result, these individuals are a small minority.
Holy Relics In Possession:
Any of the objects associated with the Shrouded King, and thus the Great Prophet Kalumum, are considered holy relics by the Shrouded Priests. In addition to items such as his Scepter, his Shroud, his Crown, and the like it also included the mummified corpse of Kalumum himself, located in the deepest depths of Xub'Roth's catacombs in a location only a handful of individuals are privy to.
Holy Sites Under Control:
The city of Xub'Roth itself is considered a holy site for the Nameless Cult, as it was the place that the visions of the Great Prophet Kalumum lead him and his followers to.
Magical Schools and Curriculum:
There are no specific schools of magic within Xub'Roth. Magic is not viewed as anything akin to a science by the populace of Xub'Roth. Instead it is viewed as a Gift from the Nameless Ones, and that to access its power one must be chosen by the Nameless Ones as a vessel for their might. Prayer, devotion, and faith are the paths to which magic can be acquired from the Nameless Ones.
MILITARY
Military Details:
NATIONAL DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Head of State/Monarch:
Shrouded King Iddin-sin go'Kalumum
Ruling Dynasty:
House go'Kalumum
Military Chief:
Grand General Ah-Imitti Zuzu
Religious Head:
Shrouded King Iddin-sin go'Kalumum
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CULTURAL
History:
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