Tashluta

Tashluta, also known as the City of Slithering Vines, was the capital city of Tashalar, an oligarchical nation on the Chultan Peninsula. Known as one of the Cities of the Seabreeze, Tashluta was fairly unique in that it was constructed within and atop a volcanic crater that opened up into the Shining Sea.

Description
The city was divided into the a number of districts, including the wealthy districts of its mercantile families built atop the higher ridges of the Tashalar Basin, and the districts built beneath them that housed the city's lower and middle class citizens.

Culture
Citizens of Tashluta were considered to be quite refined and had an enlightened outlook towards outlanders. The welcoming disposition of the majority of Tashlutans was complemented by their propensity for being multi-lingual. A common source of amusement for Tashlutans was to play lighthearted pranks upon the many people that visited their city, often involving some of their particularly spicy foods.

As a result of the circumstances around Tashalar's founding and its conflict with the yuan-ti many residents of the capital had a distinct phobia of snakes and serpents. Nearly every type reptile found in the city were killed on sight.

Geography
The capital was located situated in the center of the Tashtan Coast within the fertile stretch of land known as the Tashalar Basin, north of the Hazur Mountains.

Geographical Features
Tashluta was built atop the ridge and inner slope of a volcanic caldera, called the Tashalar Basin, that was partially flooded by the waters of the Shining Sea. The volcanic crater formed a natural harbor for the city's fleet of ships.

The narrow isle of Stormwall extended out from the sea at the edge of the harbor, shielding the bay from storms coming landward from the sea.

Government
Since its founding, Tashluta has been ruled by an oligarchy.

Trade
Tashluta was the home of the expansive trade consortium known as the Rundeen. Having consolidated a monopoly on trade in the region, they controlled all nearly all trade that passed though the city, and dominated trade throughout Calimshan and the entirety of the Chultan Peninsula for hundreds of years.

A number of drinks considered "exotic" to the folks of the western coast of Faerûn originated from Tashluta, including amberthroat, dragonstongue, and rollrum.

Tashluta was one of the locations that accepted Calishite trade bars as form of currency.

Defenses
The coastal city was well-defended by an armada of ships that were sponsored by the Rundeen.

History
Tashalar and its capital were first founded by laborers from Lapal and merchants from Calimshan in the.

After being invaded by the yuan-ti forces of Serpentes in the, the nation of Tashalar fought a ten-year war against their Se'Shen serpentine overlords, a conflict that ended in the. After gaining their independence, in the, Tashluta's oligarchs banded together and formed the Confederation of Tashtan, a declaration that outlined the lands over which the free nation would have dominion.

In the, Tashluta and the other Tashalan cities came under control of the Shoon Imperium shortly after the empire completely destroyed the belligerent Lapaliiyan city of Untisczer. The occupation of the city lasted for over 150 years, until the Shoon viceroy of Tashluta and his wife were slain during the collapse of the empire. After the initial military campaign, many of the city's residents left their home for other lands such as the Sanrach Basin in Thindol.

Despite their great victory against the yuan-ti centuries before, the government of Tashluta fell into strife once again due to the machinations of the serpentfolk. In the, it was revealed by the lich Anthilar, that Tashluta's governing body was in fact infiltrated by a yuan-ti abomination.

Notable Locations

 * Fortresses:
 * Murder Hall, an abandoned castle that was taken over by Dark Cleric Othorgor and his fellow devotees of Bhaal.
 * Stormwall Keep, the broad naval fortress that was built atop Stormwall Isle.


 * Temples:
 * House of Night's Embrace, the most distinguished temple of Talona in all the Realms.
 * House of the All-Seeing Orb, a temple of Savras that was considered one of the most well-regarded of its kind during the 14 century DR.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Candlekeep Mysteries (The Canopic Being)