The city of Ascutholl

The city is bathed in a yellow glow that comes from a central pillar that stretches from floor to ceiling and is dotted with thousands of windows through which light trickles into the eternal night. The pillar terminates in a large golden ball of light at the cavern ceiling. A vast hive of buildings of all descriptions surround the column connected by a web of haphazard cobble stone streets lit by gas lamps. An equally vast city clings to the ceiling like a huge mirror image of the city below. You see beings flying between the buildings above and from time to time they fly up from the city or descend to the city below. The sight before you is breathtakingly beautiful and few that walk the green fields of the above world have seen its like. In truth the under dark is populated by a myriad of monsters, animals and civilizations to rival the upper world. Ascutholl is a vibrant city of 1.2 million souls comprised of dwarves, svirfneblin, gnomes, humans, elves, drow, duergar, illithids, beholders, undead, and numerous other humanoids and aberrations. It is a violent city where the strong subvert the weak and anything can be bought if one has enough gold in hand. The city is ruled by Uutema the Lich, an arch mage of vast power. He controls a large number of undead that police the city to maintain some semblance of order and mindlessly perform tasks to maintain the city’s infrastructure. It is not uncommon to see a contingent of skeletons repairing a bridge or carting away trash or debris from the streets. It is common for city residents to say, in jest, in parting, “Don’t die alone,” because to do so would mean being carted away to join the previously mentioned undead servants.

City Ascutholl places of interest

Magic Mouth Man: You approach a large tower that is eighty feet high and is surrounded by a low stone wall with a gate. Standing on either side of the gate is a twenty foot tall iron man with a stylized sun motif on his chest. As you approach the one on the right looks down at you and says, “State your business”. Entering there is a small courtyard and a cobble path that leads to the main door of the tower flanked on either side by a thirty foot tall stone man with a stylized sun motif on his chest. As you approach the one on the right opens the door for you. Inside you see that the entire twenty five foot diameter room is empty save for a ten foot diameter round metal table that sits in the exact center of the room. Above the glow of the central pillar can be seen through the opening eighty feet above.
The Golden Sword Inn: This three story Victorian building is made of stone blocks and imported ironwood from the Moon Sea coast. Lights flicker in two score windows of the upper levels and through the archway that leads into the main hall. You hear music mingling with the sounds of many voices. Through the archway you see a huge room filled with square tables and low backed chairs. A hundred little oil lamps hang from brass chains, in groups if three, illuminating the room brilliantly. There are a lot of above dwelling races at this inn. There is a large fireplace to your left flanked by floor to ceiling bookshelves containing a hundred or more books. To the right is a long flowing staircase next to a large bar with stools. A curtained archway leads to the kitchens. Behind the bar is a huge ogre wearing a stained apron standing before a backdrop of huge kegs. He dispenses beverages with a deft display of expertise. (Meal 1sp, drink 1sp-5gp, Stable 2cp, Room 1gp – 10gp)
Fallstaff’s Magic Shop: Fallstaff’s Magic Shop is located in an affluent section of the old city above. It is a marvel of magical engineering. It resembles a large adobe building that has been glued upside down to the ceiling of the cavern. All of the doors and windows are aligned the other way round. His shop is located on Fenfair Ave. as are a large number of magic establishments. On your way to his shop you pass; Lindurs Potions and Ointments, Scroll Emporium, Haffer’s Tomes Magical and Mundane, Munder's Mithril Arms and Armor, The Magic Mushroom, Ocelar's Miscellaneous Magic Shop.