I'm the GM for a homebrew setting in my game. In this setting, dark elves where simply native elves of the setting with a tribal culture, while "high elves" arrived in the continent from somewhere else. High elves came to "civilize" the barbaric humans and dark elves, and both became second class citizens. A portion of high elves wizards took some dark elves to a lab in to the Underdark, hoping to create empowered soldiers with magic experiments. Many dark elves died in the process, but the process was rendered stable and eventually the "drow" came to existance: empowered dark elves.
Drows eventually where able destroy the lab and kill their masters, feeing to the depths of the Underdark, creating a city called Kyone ("Alertness"). A caste of drow druids ensures food for the city. Only a really part of the drow rever Lolth (who revealed herself to a bunch of drows), but overall there is not a precise deity they worship. Most high elves despise the Elven Gods as they didn't protect them from the tragedy.
Drows from Kyone tend to dislike visitors, and won't accept any high elf in their city, though duergar and svirfneblin do come once in a while. Kyone is made out of three pillars that go up to the cieling of the Underdark.
http://www.animationsource.org/sites_content/zootopie/img_site/Nocturnal9.j pg
Now, I need to detail the three pillars as I don't really know what could be interesting for my two players (a human soulknife and a wizard/fighter high elf). As for now, I've got their names and general purpose.
"Living City" is the most populated pillar, where most non-noble drow live.
"Noble Tear" is the noble quarter.
"Vengeance" is the most military quarter.
The two players are looking for a trio of humans (cleric of Vecna, an ardent, an antipaladin) who are hunting down the only survivor of the elven laboratory, "Subject 14", an immortal drow the PCs freed from the lab. The villains want to get their hands on the projects of the experiments, and study Subject 14 to sell information to the best offer.
Anyone willing to help?
Sorry for the delay in my response, I've had a harsh week. Thank you for your imput, I'll make sure to use those questions to help me detail the city.
Why is it called the Noble Tear?
What is directly around the city? If it's dangerous, how did they build to deal with it?
How do people typically get from pillar to pillar? What are the legal ramifications of doing so? Are there any hazards? Do the common folk believe there are?
Why has no religion been able to unite the people? Assuming the city has existed for some time, there ought to have been at least a few religious movements spring up
Are there any major cults, either of large size or containing many important NPCs?
How is it's relations with other cities? Are there any more drow cities like this?
Do they trade or do business with others? If not how do they stay completely sufficient? If so who do they trade what to for what?
What is the relationship between those that live in the Living City and the Noble Tear? Do servants work on the Noble Tear but live on the Living City?
Do the members of the Living city fear or respect the nobility/military?
What is the division of power between the nobility and military? Are there any ongoing power struggles there? How do the common folk fit into it?
Many good elements brought up.i believe that a civilization is best described by its culture. Some culture thoughts:
1Alternative currency. Your gold is worthless here.
2Heavy laws designed to control. Are you licensed to practice magic? Or psionics? Do you have travel paperwork? Are you carrying restricted weapons or magic items? Is that a banned holy symbol? Are you out after curfew? Are you a vagrant? (No money for inn)
3 religious control. How strong is religion and how is it used to make their lives difficult? Are they going to get caught up in a cult?
4 your descriptions are boring and mean nothing I'd the don't affect the game. I.E the hall turns left,then right, then right again is boring and irrelevant. The hall ends in a t intersection; now they have a choice. Keep it interesting, keep it interactive.
5 what do the people want from outsiders? Do they want to trade for all of their exotic goods? Do they want to convert you? Do they want to marry their daughters off to you? Do they have xenophobia? Do they annoyingly speak in a strange tounge when you are in the same room? Do they want to hear stories of the outside world? Do they want you to help them revolt? Put down a revolt? Or hunt monsters that have been thwarting them?
6 restricted use of light. No light brighter than a candle makes the city a very different experience
7 moral differences. Wanna try some good berries? Tripping in the under dark is always fun. Slaves? Racial slaves? Prostitution? Forced prostitution? Child prostitution? Cannibalism? Crazy gender laws? Euthanize the old? Cull the babies? Taboo is a strong element. That city with the magic escalator is not as memorable as that city where births were done publicly and if the baby weighed less than a duck they would roast it on the spot and feed it to the crowd.
8 outward cultural customs. Everyone is naked and clothes are frowned upon. Hair is in clean and all hair must be shaven clean, yes even you travelers. Covered in crazy bioluminescent tattoos? Crazy piercings? Other body mods like cutting of ears? Noses? Eyelids?
Ok, I'm going to respond as I see fit, responding some questions together if they seem to be somehow related. This is the first batch. Thank you so much for all of your help. Please do mind that this society is Chaotic Neutral, not Chaotic Evil. Lolth has very little grasp on society compared to other settings (or even other part of the world itself).
How much magic is in the city?
Do animated object fly folks around?
Illusions as signs?
Windwalk platforms
[...]
When the pillars need exterior construction/repair, is it work for slaves or skilled artisans?
People either use fly, use the stairs, or take an elevator. Buildings are repaired by masons, and it's pretty costly: not many are willing to work at such a risky height, and there have been some accidents involving people falling from the pillar to smash on the ground, becoming a nice omelette. Slavery is not appreciated amongs these drows, as they were slaves before.
What do they use as currency?
Alternative currency. Your gold is worthless here.
That might be an interesting idea. Maybe duergar, svirfneblin and drows use a different kind of currency, like some kind of adamant or mithral coins.
Does being closer to the ceiling mean anything? How poor/exploited are the poor? How extravagant are the wealthy?
Generally the higher in the pillars you live, the richer you live, as the cost for maintainance of the buildings can be quite high. Poor people live closer to the ground. People who have a good amount of money and power tend to dress flamboyant clothes with pride, and are often the favourite subject of the poor people's gossips.