Guallidurth

Guallidurth was one of the oldest drow cities in the southern Underdark. It was situated beneath the Calim Desert in the Middledark of Old Shanatar.

Government

In the late 14th century DR, it had twenty-one ruling houses. These made up the Ruling Council, but more than 200 Houses vied for power.[ After the Spellplague, Mistress Mother Fizzri Khaven-Ghell systematically destroyed most of the houses until only twenty four remained.

Districts

The city claimed the area south of Wealdath and west of the Alimir Mountains, though their governance wasn’t very strict. They also considered Sloopdilmonpolop to be theirs. They were considered at least potential enemies of Iltkazar, Oaxaptupa, Oryndoll, and the beholders below the Lake of Steam.

History

During the 14th century DR, the drow of Guallidurth worshiped Lolth, but each House did so in a different way, so many different sects existed throughout the city. Since building a temple to the Spider Queen was seen as the most devotional worship one could do, the city was riddled with different temples and shrines. This gave the city its nickname the Temple City of Lolth. The second biggest faith was the one of Vhaeraun, Lolth’s son. The following of Kiaransalee was also growing but didn't pose a meaningful threat to the ruling order. Praying to another deity than Lolth was seen as worse than worshiping the Spider Queen in the wrong fashion by her matriarchy. They tried to unite together to hunt their enemies down without real success due to infighting in their own ranks. Repeatedly displaying their inability to unite against a common foe was a reason for their increasingly becoming dissatisfied with Lolth’s version of society.
Apart from the ruling nobles being each other’s enemy over religious doctrine, and their intra-city enemies of followers of other deities than Lolth, Guallidurth had a number of external enemies. Vhaeraunites who escaped from the city founded three settlements, Dallnothax, Holldaybim, and Iskasshyoll, in the Forest of Mir and another one in Ultoksamrin, the Vault of Cloaked Midnight. In the 15th century DR, Guallidurth was at war with Iltkazar.

Alternative Name(s)

Temple City of Lolth

Type

Large city

Population

80,000

Location under

Underdark

Owning Organization

Darrow (Drow)