Ched'Nasan was a drow city in the underworld of Kazrrad, in southeastern aels, under the southern slopes of the Unholy mountain of Hortann. It was founded at the 2600 b.a.H as a colony of Erehel-Sinu, becoming an independent state at the 400 a.a.H. During the era known as the Warring States among the drow, from the 1.000 to the 1.700 a.a.H, Ched'Nasan will rise as one of the most powerful drow cities: However, the later rise in power of Negeémiliel as an hegemonic power in the south will have as the consequence the destruction of the city at 1716 a.a.H, being later refounded as a vassal state of Negeémiliel, who made the Ched'Nasani to incorporate their own system of government, the acolytal system and primary goddess, Negeé, into the local Pantheon.
An inhabit of Chad'Nasan was called a Nasani or Ched'Nasani, and they spoke originally a dialect of the Erehel, and after the refoundation by Negeèmiliel, Negeémi.
History[]
First independent colony from Erehel-Sinu[]
During the expansion of Erehel-Sinu to southern Kazrrad, they first settled the large cavern systems of Nasan, known as the thousands ponds, to use the natural ponds and water bodies of the caverns to increase their food production by plantation of algae and fishing, being a sort of underground equivalent of an "agrarian frontier" or colony. The city of Ched'Nasan was founded as one since its very beginning, having first been issued by the Erehel government the proclamation of foundation of the city, even before the settlers began to settle down the area: Ched'Nasan, the city of Nasan or the city of the Thousand Ponds.
However, despise its original goal to be a food-production colony, later discoveries of rich mines of iron and coal will expand their economy, and as well the relative short distance to the Fallen Doors gave it a rather good access to the surface and surface trading (though with middledwarves traders).
This lead to economic and demographic growth, and will allow Ched'Nasan to become a key colony for the Erehel expansion and hegemony southern Kazrrad.
Because of this, as the local Erehel-ethnic oligarchy rose in power, they wanted as well to extend this to political power, as they felt the colonial aristocracies where being kept from participating in the Erehel-Sinu government, being as well looked down upon by the metropolitan drows.
The importance of Ched'Nasan will only grow with the opening of Kazrrad for the drows with the building of bridges over the Abyss of Doom, and Ched'Nasan will become the center of the colonial government of Erehel-Sinu. After the cataclysms that reshaped Kazrrad after the Apparition of humanity, while Erehel-Sinu was badly affected and had to face a crisis of refugees and famines, Ched'Nasan was able to turn the crisis in their favor.
Because of this, and as well a rising feeling of particular identity of the erehel-ethnic oligarchy of Ched'Nasan -who identified themselves no longer as Erehel, but as Nasani-, the introduction of new taxes and a political crisis in Erehel-Sinu due to an invasion of Nortunk Dwarves, will lead the Nasani oligarchy to proclaim the independence of Ched'Nasan, at the year 400 a.a.H.
This independence will be objected to by Erehel-Sinu, and will follow the long Nasani-Erehel War, also known as the "Eighty-Seven Years War" or the "Ched'Nasan Independence War", between the 400 to the 487 a.a.H.
While originally Ched'Nasan stood alone against their metropolis and many of their colonies, after the initial defeats they were able to organize an army, that was able to produce a streak of defeats to the metropolitan Erehel and Loyalist forces, which caused many of the minor colonies of southern Kazrrad to join the rebelion, which the larger Erehel armies found difficult to crush.
When in the Battle of the Furnaces of Hortann at the 479 a.a.H will be finally defeated the Erehel and loyalist armies -with the important participation of Ched'Negeél, later Negeémiliel supporting Erehel-Sinu-, the loyalists, fearing reprisals of Ched'Nasan and the rebels quickly and pre-emptively claimed their independence of Erehel-Sinu (Negeémiliel independence, 480 a.a.H), joining the victory cart. The last seven years of the war was the advance of the colonist rebels, led by Ched'Nasan, over Erehel-Sinu, who finally aknowledged the independence of their colonies at the 487 a.a.H.
The Warring States[]
The fall of the Erehel-Sinu hegemony after 5.000 years of their rule will begin the era known simply by the drow as the Warring States, between the 1.000 to the 1.700 a.a.H, with Ched'Nasan fighting for hegemony against other drow and non-drow. During this time, Ched'Nasan waged constant wars against the dwarves, against their former metropolis of Erehel-Sinu and their sister city of Negeémiliel and others of the former Erehel colonies, against the mountain elves of Hebonnor and the Galaw Orcs, against the Draak Harg and later against the demons when they first settled in the unholy mountain of Hortann underground, which they had as their own sphere of influence.
Destruction of Ched'Nasan[]
While Ched'Nasan will rise as one of the most powerful drow cities during the Warring States, the wars against demons and their servers in Hortann and the loss of the trade routes later to Negeémiliel will mean their decline, and so during the last of the Negeémi-Nasani wars, in which Negeémiliel faced a Ched'Hihrin-Ched'Nasan alliance, Negeémiliel will siege, sack and destroy the city at the 1716 a.a.H, dispersing the population and banning that anybody would settle in the ruins of the once glorious city.
Ched'Nasan under the shadow of Negeé[]
However, after 64 years of the destruction of the city, Negeémiliel, acknowledging the strategic importance of its placement -and due the recent foundation of a dwarven fortress in the ruins of the city, endangering Negeémi trade routes to the north-, the Negeémi will storm the ruins, emptying them of dwarves and goblins, and then will refound the city of Ched'Nasan with a core of 200 Negeémi families at the 1780 a.a.H
While originally the Negeémi didn't trust the Nasani, soon they will allow them to return to the ruins of their cities, joining the Negeémi colony, but forcing them to be a vassal state of Negeémiliel, forcing them to replicate the institutions of the Negeémi government -as the acolytal system- and their primary goddess Negeé into their own local pantheon.
While for about 220 years Ched'Nasan remained a vassal state of Negeémiliel, while the power of Negeémiliel expanded, their civil turmoils weakened as well their grip over their Nasani vassal.
Demonic influence, rebellions[]
Due to its location under the southern slopes of Hortann, as this became known as the Unholy Mountain, a fortress of demons, these extended their influence across the Nasani.
This will see a rise of the cult of demons among them -since as early as the 1500 a.a.H is registered the first demon cult-, and while after the fall and re-fundation of Ched'Nasan the demonic cults were dispersed, they gained again influence, specially since the 1800's. This presence of demons and demonic cult will begin then as well a process of changing the vision the Nasani had of many of the drow gods of their ownpantheons, incorporating a demonic nature. The demonic influence wouldn't be only religious, but as well cultural and economical, becoming the demonic fortress of Hortann one of the main economic partners of Ched'Nasan.
Because of this around the 2000's, while Negeé was the matron goddess of Ched'Nasan -as imposed by Negeémiliel-, their views of the nature of the goddess began to be seen sometimes as heretical by the conservatives of Negeémiliel, who began to pressure the Ched'Nasani government to put an end to the heterodoxy:
While the local government at first was quick to comply, they will face rebellions, forcing Negeémiliel to send detachments to support the pro-Negeémi Nasani government at the 2012 a.a.H.
The continued presence of Negeémi garrisons, and their repression of the perceived Heterodoxies will result in the 2022 a.a.H a second rebelion, which will quickly spread in the Nasani territory, until it was finally supressed at the 2036 a.a.H.
It wouldn't however the end of the second Nasani rebellion the causes for it, and for a third time at the 2053, instigated by demons who had settled down in Ched'Nasan, the Nasani peoples will rebel, and other time will be needed a punitive mission from Negeémiliel to support the acolytes of Negeé of Ched'Nasan against the demonic cults and indepentists.
While in the three rebelions the bulk of the Nasani citizens -following the acolytal system of Negeémiliel- supported the government against the commoner rebels, it began to grow dissentments and tensions within the Nasani due the nature of their relation with Negeémiliel, and from these tensions will collapse the government of Ched'Nasan at the 2066 a.a.H, and will be stablished a dictatorship of a small council, abolishing many of the Negeémi-inspired institutions of government -while keeping the acolytal system.
The Dictatorship of the Small Council will try to re-pact the Nasani-Negeémi relations, wanting to leave their subsidiary role and become allies at least equals, and while they tried a diplomatic arrangement with Negeémiliel, they will began secret contacts with other drow city-states, breaking the suzerainity Negeémiliel had over Ched'Nasan, directing their international diplomacy.
It will be largely this one of the detonants causes to finally explode in Negeémiliel the rising senatorial-populist tensions and the later Khalazza coup, made by the populist councilwoman Haelra Khalazza. While originally the populists in opposition supported the equality of Ched'Nasan, as soon as they became government under they new tyrant, Haelra Khalazza ordered complete submission of Ched'Nasan, beginning a First Negeémi-Nasani War (2074 - 2081 a.a.H), in which the Ched'Nasani opposition was crushed: Ched'Nasan lost about half of their territories to Negeémiliel, and became once more time a forced- vassal.
But as Haelra Khalazza was overthrown at the 2084 and rised to power as Negeémi dictator Felyndiira Olonrae, again the Nasani elites conspired for independence making alliances against Negeémiliel, and fighting a series of intermitents war and peaces between the Second Negeémi-Nasani War 2095 - 2120 a.a.H. In these wars mostly Ched'Nasan luck was adverse and they lost further territories, until they joined the coalition built by the former Negeémi tyrant Haelra Khalazza of exiliated Negeémi, Erehel and Nasani, defeating Olonrae and her Negeémi forces.
While they where then recogniced independence by the (once more time) Khalazza lead Negeémiliel, cancelling the vassalization, but this peace will be short lived, as as soon the dictator was secured in power, she once more time gathered her Negeémi forces, to take back all lost territories and to expel the Erehel-Sinu and Ched'Nasani former allies in the Third Negeémi-Nasani War, 2127-2147 a.a.H, which ended with the conquest of Ched'Nasan by Negeémiliel, being later rebellions violently crushed.
(Quinn Vrinn I of Negeémiliel, first war of the power. Collapse of Vrinn drow queendom of the south, fourth Negeémi-Nasani war)
Government and Politics[]
Original political system
later adoption of the Negeémi political system
Military[]
Acoloytal Army of Ched'Nasan[]
After the re-foundation of Ched'Nasan, they had to incorporate the Negeémi institutions, such as the acolytal system and the Acolytes of Negeé.
Theorethically, the Ched'Nasan Army was composed of all the citizens, those who are Acolytes, and retired acolytes who are theoretically only inactive Acolytes of Negeé: that would mean for the Middle Human Age around 22.000 individuals in total, who have completed such training in their lives.
However, this counts many former acolytes who were too old, crippled or dedicated to trade and other activities, so this was more of an hypothetical reserve or maximal mobilization: the real number of fighting acolytes was between 4.000 to 8.000. Less, perhaps, if the numbers were to be severely depleted due to the fortunes of war.
While Ched'Nasan maintained some degree of independence and were able to wage their own wars, normally due to the costs of the armies they kept a reduced fighting force, and only upon demand of Negeémiliel of fighting forces for their own wars, they will be forced to expand their forces and hire mercenaries and raise levies, and in such case they would be able to theoretically field an army of about 12.000 - 15.000 drow in all over their territory, garrisoning the positions -which mean a much smaller "field army" to conduct offensive operations.
This army was relatively smaller in comparison to the ones provided by other Negeémi vassals to Negeémiliel in case of war, but in general they were less compromised than Ched'Hihrin for example.
Organization
The Negeémi-styled Ched'Nasan army was shaped in organization after the one of Negeémiliel, being divided the army into eight divisions, each division is often called a Leg of the Spider, also a term that applies to the general in charge of that division.
However, smaller than Negeémiliel, and with the population more dispersed, each Ched'Nasan division was about half the size of an equivalent Negeémi formation.
Economy[]
City of the Ponds[]
The vast amount of water, hundreds of bodies of water of various sizes, in the area, doubtlessly including many completely submerged chambers, allowed for the production of food. Algae and edible fungi making for a common food, and fish being a vertebrate food more common than most any place in Kazrrad. Also, invertebrate meat abounded in the form of cave-crabs, crawdads, snails and other forms of life. Food in Ched'Nasan might not have always been rich, but it was plentiful for most inhabitants, which was more than many Kazrrad inhabitants might say. In the beginning, food production was the city's reason for being, even later on, after much greater development, food exports remained an important part of the economy, and just the withdrawal of food from the market was a potent political threat and weapon the city could utilize.
Under Negeémi rule, Ched'Nasan was a primary source of food for the capital city, allowing it to grow to its enormous size, with great food convoys coming every day from the conquered and reformed Ched'Nasan.
Mineral Wealth[]
Natural resources in the form of deposits of iron and coal would also make Chad'Nasan an industrial powerhouse, able to mine iron and coal, and make and fashion steel in the environs of the city itself, leaving its roots as a subterranean food producer, to becoming a great city in its own right. The mining and industry led to an expansion of the city and the greater Erehel hegemony, particularly in the growth of the Erehel colony of Ched'Negeél. The rise to greatness will fuel the desire for independence from Erehel-Sinu, as the colony of Ched'Nasan had the food and the steel, and strategic location and trade network to sell these valuable products, to become a principal city in itself.
Speculation: the city of Chad'Nasan became well known for its abundance of worked metal, particularly weapons and armor.
As a later vassal of Negeémiliel, the trade and steel of the city of Ched'Nasan continued to fuel that city's rise to power to become the greatest Drow state that the underworld of Kazrrad had ever seen.
Slaves[]
Speculation: This civilization developed a slave culture early on in its role as a food producer, but slavery would expand greatly upon the discovery of mineral wealth. Vast numbers of slaves being pulled into the region so as to mine and forge. The importation of slaves and internal slave trade being a great part of the economy of the civilization. By the time of maximum development, most slaves being non-drow, dwarves and draak-harg being common slaves with forging skills; goblins being common slaves working in mines.
Demographics[]
The colony of Ched'Nasan, as first founded by settlers of Erehel-Sinu, was compossed of a mix of erehel and negeél drows.
While at the height of its power it had a population of about 70.000 drow inhabitants -and 130.000 counting non-drow, most of them slaves-, after it was destroyed in the 1716 a.a.H, despite the refoundation at the 1780 a.a.H, it will never recuperate from the demographic catastrophe, and so by the Middle Human Age, in the city lived only 31.000 drow, and the members of the Nasani civilization were around 291.000.
Demons, goblins
Culture[]
Influence of the demons
Religion[]
Cult of Negeé
Cult of the Demons