"Every disreputable adventurer will have told you about a night in Orlytlar."
Orlytlar "the summit of sin", "the city of oblivion", the famous "Black Jewel". The perfect place to do bad business, prostitution, species trafficking, black magic, sale of organs. If he lacks morals, he may be in Orlytlar.
And obviously the quintessential haven for any disreputable breed.
Before continuing to talk about this black jewel, we have to know its history.
In the well-known war between elves and drow, the drow made quite a few underground bases as outposts. However, when the war ended, the drow that remained in these positions decided to live there, and in a short time they became small villages, from villages to towns, and from towns to cities.
But life was less than beautiful, they had to endure the yoke of disputes between three religions, fights between clans and factions, endure civil wars caused by political leaders who washed the heads of others saying that they could bring glory days, since without lack of power, various drow sought to become monarchs of their cities. Without clearly counting the followers of Loth who usually became Driders and lost their reason looking for blood.
All this was more difficult knowing the greedy nature of the Drow, and the racism they carried towards the other races that made them avoid asking for supplies abroad with the merchants.
This is the norm in most Drow cities, but not in Orlytlar, as the "Aroth" faction took drastic measures, killing all the political, religious, and monarchical leaders. They decimated the followers of Loth, and killed most of the Drow with racist attitudes that prevented progress.
One of his first feats was "The crack ". To enter a Drow city, they are usually quite well hidden entrances through passageways, but with Aroth that was over, they opened a gigantic crack a few kilometers from the city that would serve for trade, and the recognition of the city.
Life was good for a while, until the members of the Aroth clan were hunted down, it is said by the remaining followers of Loth. What they did not count is that the city of Orlytlar never left the political and religious leaders, but that they had been replaced by Aroth, becoming what they sought to eliminate.
The city was in total chaos for a few days, until the "Cynath" family of Drow proclaimed themselves monarchs to maintain order. And indeed they achieved it, maybe not a perfect peace but it was peace.
However, the first mandate was to build a huge castle at the end of the city, but in the presence of these monarchs it has not been seen for a long time. For 3 generations no one has seen them leave or enter the castle. The guards say that they stopped working because there was no one to pay them.
What is known from rumors is that the family was greedy, and killed each other in search of power, but the truth is that Orlytlar does not care much for rulers. Even so, its citizens keep their missing rulers a secret, because they know that if they say so they will be the perfect target to be conquered by other kingdoms. So they are just a facade.
In a short time Orlytlar began to become the city of sin, the famous "Black Jewel" where the thief, the crook and the beggar are kings. The city has decided to follow its own rules, and one of them is the "Law of the strongest".
The good thing about the city is that no matter your race, you are welcome in Orlytlar, of course, if you can handle it. An example of this is that the city was adapted to flood a quarter of it, all in order to have a place for semi-aquatic races like the exiled Kuo-Toa, Bullywogs, some merrows, etc.
Another popular denizen are half-orcs, half-ogres, and half-trolls. Although on the surface hardly anyone wants them, here they are a very common population, and most of the races that nobody wants to find are here, like the Nothics. Just as many cursed people who feel like they don't fit in outside anymore come to Orlytlar.
THE BLACK JEWEL AND ITS BLACK CHARMS
Orlytlar is not only a city of drunks, gambling and low life. There are also some things that make it unique.
BEWARE, DARK DARKMANTLES!
One of the best things about Orlytar is that when the founders first entered this great cavern, it was filled with
"darkmantles", however all were domesticated, and were used in warfare. But now, they are still here, and well, they are not a problem in fact they are quite affectionate, people tend to have a lot of respect for them not only because they are quite dangerous but because it is impossible to deny them a piece of bread. Just look at them! They are so adorable little hellish squids!
The Bearon Tavern
Perhaps there are many taverns in this city, but there is the one that has earned its recognition. Of course, for the exquisite delicacies only typical of Orlytlar, the unicorn stew, and the hippogriff cake is magical.
Ihmnicator the Wyvern
It is said that a small wyvern egg arrived in the market for the sale of species, excessively expensive but there was no shortage of offers, but the owner became fond of that small egg until the day it was born. How do we know wyberns have the ability to speak, they are not animals. It grew to a colossal size making some messes, but becoming a healthy wyvrn.
Perhaps the rest of the city doubts it, or doesn't even consider it, but Ihmnicator from above, on that rocky balcony where he sees the city from above, knows that there is beauty in it, a charm that only Orlytlar has.
Ihmnicator is one of the few real defenses that the city has.
The great black steel smithy
The duergar are the well-known race of gray dwarves that have underground cities, are skilled with weapons and angry. However the exiled duergar always end up in this city, but a great smithy called "Black Steel" was founded long ago where most of them work, angry at their exile they make the most devastating weapons. However, they have a bad habit of cursing their creations. And of course, this is not negotiable.
One of his best feats was an armor called "Armored Abyss" an armor that grants strength, regeneration, speed, and almost invulnerability but whoever uses it will spend his life energy, giving up his soul, and corrupting its wearer.
Orlytlar Sweet
Although there are many drugs in Orlytlar, the ones that occur naturally there are the Dream Flake, and Wrymwood, being a giant cave it is normal for mushrooms to be produced, and these are the two most famous mushrooms in Orlytlar, you cannot come to Orlytlar without testing them first. However, when they are consumed together, a human can die.
The Dark Zone
The cavern in the farthest part of the city where the light of the lanterns barely reaches, there is a huge moat. Where the founders dumped the native Carrion Crawlers, hungry beasts that once dumped enemies and prisoners of war.
In Orlytlar it is normal for there to be disputes, many people die and nobody cares, the only thing that matters is their horrible smell after hours, so every noon wagons usually pass by, piling up the bodies and throwing them into the dark area, in that pit will be devoured by those devastating worms.
Of course, if you piss off the wrong guy, his goons might want to leave you there.
What is it like to walk around Orlytlar?
We have said a lot and very little. Well, if you are looking for this city for your campaign, you must know how to show its soul.
Orlytar is a city of thieves, if your characters go there it will usually be to look for information, or buy something on the black market, so they have to be twice as careful, know who they talk to and who they mess with, of course too trying not to steal the gold stored in the pockets of his pants.
If your characters seem heroic, everyone else will reject them, since no one wants a policeman in Orlytlar.
If they are looking for information, it will be quite expensive, otherwise nobody knows anything and nobody knows anyone.
Let your players have fun, in Orlytlar everything is allowed, no one hides from making a low morale transaction, that's the magic.
If your players are new, or nervous, someone might drug their drinks to remove their organs, or sell their meat at the spice meat markets.
Walking in some parts of Orlytlar is like walking in a huge market, thousands of vendors selling their trinkets and cursed items will make progress difficult.
Although Orlytlar does not prohibit entry, it is actually quite difficult to get to, not because of the haunted forests or monsters, but because of the terrain. Orlytlar is located at the foot of a mountain, which you will have to traverse through a lot of rocky terrain to get there. And when you arrive there will be a few enchanted armors welcoming the merchants, buying the supplies from the town, usually.
Armors won't check them unless they're pretty noble looking, so have your players dress up as the bad guys to avoid arousing suspicion.
Give them the temptation, in Orlytlar they can do black magic easily, if your player loses her wife, in the corner there is surely a necromancer ready to help him talk to her for sure, a small "cost".
Aesthetically
The town, aside from the ruined castle in the back, isn't usually ugly enough. There is a giant torch in the middle that lights up the city a bit, it is called "The Eternal Flame".
However, the entire city usually has other shades such as; purple and blue. Well, the luminescent mushrooms that grow there are that color. But in all the streets there are ropes hanging from one side to the other, where all kinds of lanterns, lamps and lanterns are hung. So there are assorted colors.
Although people always look angry, with poor hygiene, and it's normal to see drugged or drunk people sleeping on the floor. Although well some are no longer alive.
The city is divided into several zones, but the most famous are:
Aquasalk: The area where the semi-aquatic races live. If you want more details, it would help to imagine it as a pseudo-Venezia of thieves.
The Basilisk; Although the entire city has shops, the Basilisk is the largest market, taking up almost a quarter of the city.
This is divided into:
Drathre: Where the meat of other species is sold for consumption, and also the sale of organs for medical purposes.
Eldoir: Where creatures of all kinds are sold for any purpose.
The Giant: You would recognize it by the giant's jaw that acts as an archway for the entrance to this area, which is dedicated to dark magic.
Elui: Sale of legal substances, and powerful hallucinogens.
Black Darkness:
Hence, half the city is a city of thieves, as I have already said, but it is also full of stalls and shops.
Fairy wing
I'll just say, the best cabaret in all the darkness.
Population: 60,000 inhabitants
Location: Underdark level 3
"If you want to do something bad, Orlytlar is a good place to start."