Geography:It-lal
It-lal is the surface drow first home from the second age.
The group finds themselves standing next to one of five large stone archways arranged arnaged in a semicircle on a large open plaza. The multicolor gate way fills the center archway of the five. None of the other four stone archways have any trace of magic about them.
The Plaza of the five gateways, is a large oval shape and is lined with large stone statues of drow and a reptilian like humanoids. The air is thin like your are high in some mountain and the plaza has a thin layer of dust with a few scraggly plants eking out an existence in the cracks between the stones.
The Gateway Plaza faces the rest of the city. It rises up above you looking to be built out of the top of the mountain forming two peaks covered with terraces, pathways, and ruins of old buildings. You can also see some to the roadways disappearing into the mountain side. Most of the terraces seemed to be built for growing things and still support a lush growth of overgrown bushes and short trees.
The city seems to be built as four levels, with each level getting smaller and higher. The final level is split between the double peaks of the mountain like two islands. The Gateway Plaza is on the lowest level. The land seems to slope down quickly from this level and a sea of clouds surround the lower level stretching out. A few nearby mountain tops can be seen rising above the surface of the clouds. You have no idea how high this city is or what lies below the ocean of white.
The buildings and walls have a very weathered look, but no signs of resent habitation can be seen. The nearby buildings or ruins look to be mostly stone walls left; any wood or organic parts long since gone. The city could easily hold many houses of drow much like the city of the drow in the under dark.
Observations made by Larien and Grif: "Flying around It'lal, Larien sees they are somewhere on the western edge of a mountain range. As the warm most [air] hits the mountains it forms clouds and rains a lot at the foot of the mountains. Through the clouds she has seen deep green valleys to the north, west, and south. Some large rivers and light glinting off a large body of water from the far west. Mostly [it's] more mountains to the east, Northeast and Southeast." (see Friday February 6th, 2009 3:07:32 PM post)
Further Observations and developing facts over Six months:
Over the past months since It’lal has been rediscovered three drow houses have resettled portions of the ancient city along with several business and shops.
On the first level around the Gateway Plaza the bulk of House Brafah has settled in quickly built homes.
House Bancurpi has setup a compound to the north east of hydra lake.
House Mylyl retains there small subterranean home on the third level under the northwest mountain top.
A Opera House is under construction on the second level east of the main roadway on the south side of the hydra lake. The Halfling master bard Giovanna owns and runs it with the help of his followers half of which are non drow. It boasts a stuffed 8 headed Cryo hydra in the entrance. T
The main tavern the Slaughtered Lamb in It’lal is situated on the main road on the first level just north of the Gateway plaza. It is a quant place with good food and beverages run by a drow couple. It is rumored several of the Shadow Guardians are silent partners and frequent it often. As you first enter the establishment you come face to face with a stuffed Chimera looming over you.
Another place of note is on the northeast side of the second terraces, where the Shadow Guardian druid Eclip along with his brown bear has setup his home within in a cave and garden area out side. The cave contains a rather large natural pool and was once the lair of three Cryo-hydras.
Many other merchants have setup shop and small farms have started to spread out.
Interestingly enough the primary language used in It-lal is Wolden Below (aka Under-Common). There is only a 20% chance that a surface drow will also know common.
