Xin-Shalast, Districts

The Hypogeum

Each time Xin-Shalast came under the rule of a new runelord, many of the city’s older structures became obsolete, as noble families and tastes in pleasure and archetectural style changed. Rather than demolish the structures that existed in the city, new structures were merely built atop the older ones, and in this way Xin-Shalast’s buildings grew mighty and tall indeed. This was done through laws of eminent domain passed by the runelord and was often accomplished without bothering to purchase the original buildings or gain the permission of their owners. Connections to these lower levels were unnecessary, and entrances to lower chambers were traditionally sealed with stone walls. As additional structures were added, this region of hidden structures likewise expanded, creating a multi-level warren composed of the old dwellings, businesses, and ground-level streets. The entire region of lower structures became known as the Hypogeum.   The twisting catacombs of the Hypogeum have weathered the years well, and many still exist in the quarter-mile-wide section of the city adjoining the Golden Road, forming a maze of catacombs, smugglers’ tunnels, and trap-laden hideouts. The skulk tribes of the Spared avoid these tunnels and seal all openings into them, as all manner of dangerous monsters dwell within.  

Artisan District

The southernmost district of Xin-Shalast is the Artisan District. Many of its shops and bazaars lined the Golden Road, with its many foundries, workshops, and mills being situated further to the east and west. Cisterns fed by subterranean aqueducts from the Entertainment District now stand empty. The majority of this district’s populace was humanoid and represented the provider caste in Xin-Shalast—their descendants became the heritors of Varisia. Of all the city’s districts, this one was the least repressive and enjoyed a modest amount of freedom from scrutiny by the ruling class. Karzoug was not fool enough to believe that his extravagant penchant for greed could be satisfied by the fruits of oppressed artisans, and thus let them be, for the most part, as long as they remained loyal and filled his coffers with their taxes. The district even had a separate gate into the city to avoid Krak Naratha. The northern portion of the Artisan District has a wide colonnade leading to a pyramidal structure set atop a large dome. This served as the headquarters of the Guild of Master Masons and Architects, the grandmaster of which typically served as the district’s consul.  

Slave District

The slaves of the city, except for those privately owned as personal servants in the various households, were considered property of the state and served the communal needs of the city. They were usually humanoids captured in raids upon neighboring lands or criminals punished with a sentence of lifelong servitude, but occasionally included giants who had fallen out of favor or deserted from the army, yet didn’t warrant transformation into a runeslave (see Pathfinder #4). All of these slaves were quartered here in extremely cramped conditions, in poorly made buildings of clay brick rather than stone and were under constant scrutiny by special units of Xin-Shalast’s army trained as slave takers and overseers. Shoddy workmanship and overcrowding killed thousands of slaves each year due to building collapses, yet there were always more slaves to be had to replace those lost.   At the fall of Thassilon, a volcano east of the city finally erupted after centuries of quiescence. Whether this was caused purposely by Karzoug or simply resulted from the many wards preventing such an event suddenly expiring remains open to speculation. Whatever the cause, the effect on the Slave District was devastating. Prevailing winds and the angle of eruption spared the city from much of its fallout, but the earth tremors and pyroclastic flow that crashed into the Slave District swallowed it whole. Only a few of the hardier stone buildings survived, and in the ages since, they have slowly been consumed by the advance of a great glacier, its leading edge icy and razored, its body a dark mass of gritty ice. The district exists now as a haunted landscape of blasted glacial terrain and occasional ruins projecting up at crazy angles where they have managed to oppose the glacier’s advance.   The nigh-incalculable loss of life that occurred here in a matter of moments has spawned a multitude of undead over the years. Fortunately, most of these creatures are corporeal monsters like wights or ghouls, and remain encased in their tombs of ice, waiting for an unwary digger to set them free. Yet there are also quite a few wraiths, spectres, and ghosts that haunt the glacier, and they have no such constraints stemming from their remains still being buried. The skulk tribes of the Spared have done much to check the spread of the undead. Approximately half of the tunnels below the Slave District are under skulk control and relatively free of undead today. Unfortunately, these skulks themselves have recently fallen victim to the monstrous 'Hidden Beast'.  

Entertainment District

Like all great tyrants and dictators, the runelords realized they could never maintain control of their empire unless they were able to keep the masses distracted. To this end, one of the most opulent districts of the Lower City was the Entertainment District. Here could be found just about any hedonistic diversion imaginable (with those unavailable found in the Hypogeum). Massive works of architecture were erected to awe visitors and cater to the citizens of Xin-Shalast. Great spectacles were staged in the various venues available in this district. While not the most heavily populated district of the city, it was certainly the most heavily visited by those seeking everything from fine foods and innocent entertainment to the vilest depths of depravity. A constant stream of purchases from the Slave District came through this district to replenish losses due to attrition. The spectacular architecture of the northern part of this district remains largely intact, while the southern portions have been buried under a tide of unnaturally fecund lichen growth.  

Temple Row

The exotic, cyclopean architecture of Xin-Shalast is nowhere more apparent than this stretch of temples built along the Golden Road, where it meets the mountain. Here were built the religious centers of Xin-Shalast in a plethora of styles, shapes, and materials, with only two things in common: multiple towers and prodigious dimensions. That the majority of these temples were dedicated to Karzoug speaks volumes to the mindset of his people, yet here and there stood cathedrals dedicated to the gods of Thassilon—Lissala, Minderhal, the Peacock Spirit, and even Desna. Intermixed with these temples are darker, brooding structures—once shrines and fanes dedicated to various demon lords and archdevils, including such horrors as Mamon, Orcus, Pazuzu, Rubicante, and Lamashtu.   The Golden Road passes by these edifices before climbing upward through the Rune Gates toward the Spires of XinShalast above. A self-indulgent and godless faith called Divine Consumption (a thinly-veiled tiered organization geared primarily toward lining the pockets of the few with the riches gathered and earned by the many) served as the only officially sanctioned religion of Xin-Shalast, but Karzoug pragmatically allowed other faiths to build their houses of worship here as well, as long as they paid their temple taxes and their doctrines did not contradict his rule. Behind the temples, on the west side of the road, stretches an area of residences for the clergy and lay workers, huge storage complexes to hold the temple tithes and supplies, and various private shrines and amusements claimed by the hierarchy of one temple or the other. These buildings remain largely intact and are under the control of the lamiakin of Xin-Shalast, the leaders of whom have converted the one-time temples into personal mansions.  

Jotunburg

This section of the city is squeezed between Temple Row and the Artisan District. Here the buildings are oversized for a reason, as they housed the majority of Xin-Shalast’s giant population. These massive edifices extend all the way up the shoulder of the valley overlooking the Lower City and are accessed by gigantic unsupported spans hundreds of feet in the air that extend from the Golden Road to this mountain spur. Today, Jotunburg is the home of several tribes of giants, including cloud, frost, and even a few taiga and storm giants.  

Rising District

The Rising District begins immediately beyond the Rune Gates and served as the residential quarters for the nobility of the city— Harridans of the Mountain, high-ranking lamias, and so on—as well as those non-monstrous inhabitants with enough power, influence, or gold to earn a spot upon the sacred Face of Mhar Massif. The highest dwelling typically served as the residence of the priestess holding the rank of Most High at the House of Divine Consumption. The dwellings are usually towers protruding from the rock face, due to the lack of ground to build upon, and they grow larger and more elaborate as they climb the mountain.   The Golden Road runs through the center of the Rising District, up to the citadel in a close approximation of a straight line. This makes the road extremely steep and, in some places, nearly vertical, with great steps carved into its surface almost like a ladder. Unfortunately for adventurers, these steps are sized for giants and are most comfortable for those of size Huge or larger. Smaller creatures must test their athleticism as they ascend the steps, each of which has only a narrow ledge abutting the risers. In addition, ice tends to form on the steps and the incredible cold, high winds, and other hazards of the high mountains are faced by anyone who chooses to clamber up this treacherous trail. The Golden Road climbs 8,500 feet to the Spires of Xin-Shalast, though the Rising District ends around the 24,000-foot elevation, about 2,000 feet below the citadel. Actually climbing this expanse of steps can require mountain climbing gear and take days to complete even in good weather. Unlike the rest of Xin-Shalast, those mighty towers outside the occlusion field have not fared well over the years. Many have collapsed and tumbled down the mountain, taking those below with them, and many more are unstable, so climbers who plan on sheltering in these structures might be in for a rude surprise as one shifts and begins to slide down around them, out into open space, for a very long freefall. Though these buildings are in large part uninhabited, they are not entirely deserted. A squad of five rune giants regularly patrols the lower reaches of the district. Higher up, giant riders atop their sure-footed crag spider steeds make sure that only those bearing invitations from the runelord attempt the climb.