The Muzad

Muzad

The following is rumors, speculation and some truths about Calimport’s underdark city. Most of the information herein should be considered suspect and at best unreliable. 

The undercity contains lost city streets, collapsed bridges, buildings, and ancient, forgotten areas collectively known as the Muzhajaarnadah, the "city of shadow", or simply the "Muzad". 

The Muzad is said to be nearly a half mile deep. It was formed over the millennia from all the times Calimport was rebuilt over the dynasties as newer sections of the city were often built atop the old ones. 

Government: 

Secret Syndicate- A group of dark religious Chosen priestess rules the Muzad.

Elsura, Irtemara, and Nemeezka

Ward Qualities: 

Darkvision (Most of the citizens have darkvision or have adapted to subterranean  environment), Notorious (thieves guilds), Resettled Ruins, Subterranean, Unholy Site (Dark gods).

 

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Known by a multitude of names from the Muzhahajaarnadah to the Undercity, Dark Calimport, and most often just the Muzad, the deeper city beneath the streets of Calimport is just as lively and dangerous as the surface metropolis above. 

The Undercity of Calimport is more than just a series of sewers and water ways- there are whole streets, buildings, courtyards, great halls, and other areas long buried and forgotten. With the many series of disasters to strike the city over the centuries, it is easy to understand the destruction was built over after time.

Since it encompasses the sewers and areas beneath, the Undercity ranges from 20 feet beneath the raised streets of Palace, Grand, and Emerald Wards to nearly a half-mile beneath Calimport's sewers.

There are so many mysteries hidden in the depths and the darkness of Calimport Muzad that they compare equally to the ruined wonders of Myth Drannor and the horrors of Undermountain beneath Waterdeep. 

The Upper Muzad

The original streets of Palace Ward, Grand Ward, and Jewel Ward are now paved over for ease of movement for the elevated social classes above them. The intent was to provide larger areas of mobility for the slaves and servants beneath the streets and out of sight, and the only lights down here are either torches carried in hand or what light streams down through the stairwells leading up to the new street level or the gates leading out into the open-air Port or Outer Wards. 

While it has taken some time, there are now many indigent people living beneath these streets, mostly free slaves (the Nadhari), ratfolk and other races such as the Caligni who find places of darkness home. 

In many places, the Upper Muzad is still normal aside from its bricked-over sky. However, at certain points near the western outskirts of the Undercity, under the Pasha's Palace, are gaping shafts, tunnels, and stairs leading deeper into the Muzad. These places are areas of interest among the power players of the Dark City who vie for control over these major accessways to the surface and the city. 

The Temple of Old Night

Shar's greatest stronghold anywhere on the Realms, the Temple of Old Night and its female dominated clergy control a third of all the territory in the eastern undercity. In effect, they control the dungeons and dark passages beneath Caravans, Crypt, Hammer, Maker’s, Quill, Wizard, and sections beneath Hook Ward including the ruined Church of Waukeen and Khanduq of the Coinmother in the Khanduq Ward. The actual central temple and altar for the Dark Goddess lies beneath the Wizard Ward.

The Temple of Old Night is the oldest of worship sites for Shar in Faerûn, and is the oldest plot of unholy ground in the World. Many know that the temple is beneath their feet, but since they do not know the extent of it, they fear Shar and her darkness even more. 

The high priestess Irtemara el Eradsari 'the Dancer before Dawn' easily controls numerous powers of the surface world directly or indirectly through the Temple’s machinations of numerous illicit businesses in Calimshan.

Other known Chosen of Shar are Elsura el-Shaheed, a former avatar of Loss for the dark goddess during the Time of Troubles and Nemeezka, a succubi and handmaiden of the night. 

Cleric of Shar

The Sewers

The sewers are 15-foot- and 30-foot-wide sewage-filled tunnels with sluice gates and some flowing water. Access paths alongside the main tunnels allow a slightly more sanitary passage through them, but these paths are far from being safe walkways. And the sewers are not simply filled with waste and refuse.... they also contain a caged and stunted Otyugh at key sewer intersections. These smaller than their larger cousins are maintained by the public works guilds for the purposes of waste management. 

There are at least two separate sewer systems in Calimport, one of which was nearly destroyed centuries ago and replaced by the newer sewers as discussed above. The abandoned tunnels, while partially collapsed and destroyed or blocked in places, provide homes and byways for other creatures capable of maneuvering the tight spaces and reaching long forgotten cellars of buildings buried into the Muzad.

These Lost Sewers have been conquered in most areas by a number of wererat consortiums which number no less than 500 wererats in total throughout the Muzad, in at least seven separate collectives. Their leaders, more cunning than previous wererats, have linked their Lost Sewers with the current sewers, and they use these to attempt to usurp the surface controlled thieves’ guilds from the Muzad. Other lycanthropes have joined with the wererats in the form of six wereboar enforcers.

The Djen Coliseums (The Efreetum and Sabam)

The Djen Coliseums are two major arenas within Calimport's Trades Ward. While somewhat different, they are both are filled with colorful sails and tapestries and are dedicated to the entertainment of the masses and the powerful. Each arena seats 50,000 people at maximum capacity. 

The massive size of both arenas allows them to be seen easily from neighboring wards. 

Each arena is made from magically formed stone and is structurally sound despite its frequent use and ancient construction that dates back to the early days of genie rule. 

The wealthy and affluent enter the arenas from the byways, their paths lead up wide ramps that allow these individuals to enter the arenas between the second and third levels where carpets are common for the majority of the upper class seating. Many rickshaw drivers and stable masters alike make themselves available at these entrances. 

Those with more resourceful means will watch contests from their magic carpets suspended over the arenas. 

Outside either arenas are aspirant warriors and swordsmen who showcase their burgeoning skills hoping to impress coin out of arena attendees or attract the attention of a patron. Other side acts include voluptuous dancers, talented musicians and clever slight of hand magicians. 

 

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The Arena Sabam is the westernmost arena and the larger of the two. It charges attendees from 5 cp for unshaded bench-row general seating to 10 gp per person for full shade luxury seating. 

The Arena Sabam also imposes mandatory wagers ranging from 5 sp to 50 gp. 

Its main arena field, or pitch, is an emerald green magical championship polocrosse field complete with silver painted lines and golden goal posts. Around this immaculate field is a well-groomed, twenty lane chariot and horse race track that is one mile in diameter. 

The Arena Sabam has five chariot and horse racing events at highsun on the 4th, 16th, and 28th days of each month. These events last 3-4 hours. 

More popular than chariot and horse races (in Calimport) is Calishite polocrosse. 

Developed in ancient Calimshan Polocrosse is a team sport that is a combination of polo and lacrosse that allows the use of minor magic and alchemical effects during game play. 

It is played on a field (the pitch) while on horseback. Each of the six riders uses a stick to which is attached a racquet head with a loose, thread net, in which the ball is carried. The ball is made of alchemical rubber and is approximately four inches across. The objective is to score goals by throwing the ball between the opposing team's goal posts.

In addition, specially tailored alchemical substances can be deployed throughout the game by each team to hamper and confound players, horses and goal attempts. Game rules and team structure are designed to force players to pass the ball about amongst themselves, making it a better skilled, faster sport.

The Arena Sabam hosts evening polocrosse games every tendays. Events last 2-3 hours. 

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The Arena Efreetum showcases gladiatorial-style games featuring famed warriors against gruesome captive monsters, savage gladiatorial slaves, and dire animals of all sorts. 

Throughout the combat attendees are given the ability to crowd-fund alchemical tinctures or even potions to aid or heal their favorite fighter. 

Attendees throw coin into the arena to show support to the victor after an especially entertaining kill or combat. 

War-priests of the Red Knight, Tempus or Talos serve as master of ceremonies with many followers of martial faiths having their own section of seating. 

There is a shrine to the Red Knight at the Arena Efreetum. 

There are dozens of martial-art dojos and ludi around Calimport that make for great inter school drama that plays out on the sands. 

Efreetum has events every 10-day and on each of the high holidays (Midwinter, Shieldmeet, Greengrass, Midsummer, Higharvestide, and the Feast of the Moon). 

All classes of people attend the Efreetum- it charges NO ADMISSION.