Non-humans sometimes eagerly looked for their pasts through archaeology. Here, a Drow researcher named Lina Mereen has unearthed a temple of her ancestors in the ruined city of Ched'Hihrin
Ched'Hihrin was a city in the underworld of Kazrrad, in northern Zarhuy, near the shores of the Caritz Sea It was founded at the 666 a.a.H as a colony by Negeémiliel, becoming an independent state at the 1.170 a.a.H.
Descendants of the Negeémi, their culture shared many aspects with the one of Negeémiliel, as having Negeé as the main goddess of their pantheon, being the Cult of Negeé and the acolytal system pillars of their society.
After independence from their metropolis, their culture changed from the plutocratic oligarchy of Negeémiliel, leaving the republican system and citizenship, being instead Ched'Hihrin ruled by a noble aristocracy and an elected Queen between the major noble houses, which meant an endless power struggle for the throne.
For some time, Ched'Hihrin shadowed its metropolis, being an important trade center in southern Kazrrad.
But due the assaults and wars against Goblin and orc hordes, internal struggles for succession and war with other states, it meant the slow decline of Ched'Hihrin, until it became once again a vassal state of Negeémiliel during the Negeémi rise for Hegemony (1700-2500 a.a.H). Affected severely by The Cataclysm, the city will be abandoned.
An inhabitant of Negeémiliel is called Ched'Hihrins or Hihrins, being their language negeémi.
History[]
The City-State of Ched-Hihrin (the City of Hihrin), had as origin the imperial expansion of Negeémiliel, being founded at the year 666 a.a.H as a colony of Negeémiliel.
After a war of independence, they will become an independent city state at 1.170 a.a.H.
Government and Politics[]
Ched'Hihrin had as regime an Elected Monarchy. While they were a colony of Negeémiliel, they kept the plutocratic republican system of their metropolis:
However after independence, the acolytes of Negeé from Ched'Hihrin became much more restrictive, evolving into a noble aristocracy, led by the major noble houses.
These major noble houses elected a Queen, which will remain in the throne for the rest of her days, assisted by a council of the elector noble houses.
In that way, the succession isn't inherited, but a matter of election, which often led to power struggles between the mayor noble houses.
In difference to their metropolis Negeémiliel, where each Acolyte of Negeé was a citizen, in Ched'Hihrin the Acolytes of Negeé were the nobles of the city, being both males and females acolytes of Negeé -unlike in Negeémiliel, where only the females are acolytes-.
However, while the males can be Acolytes of Negeé, they don't have political or religious power, which is held by the female noble Hihrins.
Military[]
Total Numbers[]
Theorically, the Ched'Hihrin Army was composed of all the nobles, those who are Acolytes, and retired acolytes who are theoretically only inactive Acolytes of Negeé: that would mean around 27.000 individuals in total, who have completed such training in their lives.
However, this counts many former acolytes now too old, crippled or dedicated to trade and other activities, so this is more of an hypothetical reserve or maximal mobilization: the real number of fighting acolytes is between 4.000 to 8.000. Less perhaps, if the numbers should be severely depleted due to the fortunes of war.
Now, to this number they can add about 3.000 - 6.000 mercenaries, and some levies and auxiliaries from small colonies and settlements of not much military value, around some other 4.000-5.000 more drow:
They will field then an army of about 13.000 to 19.000 in total, all over their territory, garrisoning the positions.
Organization[]
The Ched'Hihrin army imitated the organization of the one of their metropolis 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'Hihrin division is about half the size of an equivalent Negeémi formation .
The Unit[]
The basic infantry unit commanded by a captain is of a 150 infantrywomen. They carry spears as a standard weapon, but also have range weapons such as light crossbows, and close melee weapons such as swords.
Every unit has several priestesses and/or sorceresses as specialists. Some priestesses specialize in healing wounds, others, like the category of the dreaded warpriestess, and likely most sorceresses, use their powers in offensive ways. They might kill enemy soldiers with fireballs or chain lightning or soul burn attacks. Lesser magic users require alchemical reagents such as liquids or powders to focus their magical attacks, they do not have a special title designation like the priestesses or sorceresses, but are much valued nonetheless. Magic makes for a good 'force multiplier'.
Army Divisions[]
The army is divided 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.
Each Ched'Hirhin division have between 4 to 8 units of about 150 acolytes in each division, with units being disbanded, reorganized, and new ones in a process of 'coming online' as the Initiated graduate from the Academy and receive further training as young Acolytes.
Economy[]
Ched'Hihrin, for it's location, it's a key location in the drow trade routes in the underwolrd of Kazrrad, linking the north and south, serving as well as a node for trade for products of Zarhuy, Hieyoks and Aels. Often they competed -or cooperated- with the Farian duergar traders.
Demographics[]
During the Middle Human Age and near the Second Coming of Darkness, the City of Ched'Hihrin had a population of about 25.000 inhabitants, and the city-state in general, had a population in total of near 267.000 inhabitants.
Ched'Hihrin State: 267.000 drows
Ched'Hihrin: 25.000 drow
Cities and colonies directly under Negeémi autority: 242.000 drow
- 4 cities of 10.001 to 15.000 drow
- 8 cities of 5.001 to 10.000 drow
- 21 towns of 1.001 to 5.000 drow
- 76 colonies and settlements of 501 to 1.000 drow
- smaller settlements, errants, nomads, surface rural areas: 30.000 drow
Culture[]
The Cult of Negeé[]
Uniforms[]
The culture was more traditional than that of Negeémiliel, the city being reminiscent of previous centuries in the mother metropolis. Uniforms were somewhat old fashioned, with loincloths and leather boots over silk boots.
Sacrifices[]
The essential arrangement of the pantheon of gods and the belief system was similar to the religion in Negeémiliel. However, in the city of Negeémiliel, the practice of blood sacrifice had become either less bloody and severe, or rarer, or more abstract. In Ched'Hihrin sacrifices of fellow Drow or other peoples was much more commonplace.
Education
Arts
Sports
Medicine
Gender Role[]
While in the metropolis of Ched'Hihrin -Negeémiliel-, the males were seen as the weaker sex that were to be protected, in Ched'Hihrin their role was much more limited: and while they could be warriors for example -that didn't happen in traditional Negeémi culture-, they aren't the weak sex, but just weaker and without privileges, aside from being oushed by their dominant females.
The situation is somewhat better for the noble males, who could be destined to serve as sword of their goddess Negeé, until their mothers married them with some noblewoman for political purposes -when they will be expected to became house husbands-.
Festivals and Holidays[]
Religion[]
Cult of Negeé[]
Other gods of the Ched'Hihrin Pantheon
Other religions within Ched'Hihrin
Notable people and Characters[]
- Prince Kauro