Bazzoxan

Bazzoxan is a large village at the base of the cliffs at the northernmost point of the Penumbra Range in Xhorhas. The village is built below an ancient black temple, which was historically named Bazzoxan, on top of ruins. Demonic incursions from the temple beginning about 795 PD caused most civilian inhabitants to leave over time, and by 835-836 PD, the village was largely occupied by military forces and maintained under martial law.

Description
Bazzoxan is located north of the Barbed Fields, at the base of the Penumbra Range. It is surrounded by a gated wall and above it rises a giant, ancient, jet-black Betrayer's Rise temple that was built into the reddish rock of the surrounding mountains. Spiral towers with their own alcoves and balconies emerge from the temple, some but not all of which have crumbled.

The buildings of the the village of Bazzoxan are scattered structures built on ruins, much like the Ghostlands of Rosohna. There are large iron watchtowers marking the street corners along the perimeter of the settlement. Aurora Watch patrol the streets, and most of the population appears to be military. There are very few lights, as the drow and goblinkin who make up most of the population do not need them to see in the dark. Dust storms are not uncommon.

Points of interest

 * Betrayer's Rise: an ancient temple of the Betrayer Gods referred to by this name after Bazzoxan was established. It primarily carved of smooth black stone, looming over the northern side of the city. The entrance to the temple is known as the Umbra Gates. The halls within constantly shift such that different groups experience different configurations of rooms.
 * The Ready Room: The only inn in Bazzoxan, located in the center of town. It is owned and run by Delez and Prima Demona, a drow brother and sister team. The inn is very basic and prices are high due to the expense and difficulty in getting commodities to such a remote location.
 * Sacrifice Engines: When the temple to the Betrayer Gods was active, their worshipers threw mortal sacrifices into these pits, which are lined with silver blades that can be spun using a lever. As of 836 PD, they were used by the Aurora Watch to kill demons and similar threats. They are located towards the town center.
 * Crematorium: The crematorium is made of stone and leans against the mountain. As of 836 PD it was run by the brothers Reynard and Sebastian Allerton.
 * Infirmary: The infirmary is located near the center of the village and provides medical care to the Aurora Watch. In 836 PD, it was run by Bautha Dyrr, a priest of Xalicas.
 * Gatehold Barracks: The Gatehold Barracks are centrally located in Bazzoxan and serve as the command center for the Aurora Watch. They are where Verin Thelyss, as well as other officers, live and work. The barracks also have a mess hall, an area for soldiers to train and spar, and sleeping quarters.
 * Dilapidated Temple of Avandra: A spiral-shaped temple once dedicated to Avandra is located in the western corner of the town. It is now a vegetable garden, tended to by Foghome, a firbolg cleric of Melora.
 * Wall of the Unforgotten: This wall serves as a memorial to the Aurora Watch soldiers who have lost their lives in Bazzoxan.

Demographics
In 835 PD, the total population was 2,610. Eighty-one percent of the population of Bazzoxan is drow. The population is mostly military personnel. Most people wear armor and are armed, and the civilian to soldier ratio is about one to four. Even the civilians are trained in basic combat and defense. A notable portion of these civilians are mages from the Kryn Dynasty who are working to close the extraplanar rifts. On the whole, the people of Bazzoxan are busy and keep to themselves.

History
In the time of the Calamity, the mountainside was a massive, multi-story temple, named Bazzoxan, to several of the Betrayer Gods. At this time, it also served as the seat of the various temporarily allied princes of Abyss on the Material Plane. Like many locations in Xhorhas, Bazzoxan was left a ruin after the end of the Calamity.

After the reclamation of Ghor Dranas and the establishment of Rosohna, some members of the Kryn Dynasty traveled north in an effort to renovate another former site of the Betrayer Gods, and named the village they built for the temple. For a time, they were successful, and Bazzoxan became a mining town.

In the process of their reclamation, the inhabitants of Bazzoxan uncovered that there were still quite a number of remaining doorways from the abyssal temple. They had only managed to build part of the city before it was attacked by those demonic forces.

Since the attack, which occurred around 795 PD, most of the tunnels to the temple have been barricaded in order to prevent threats from entering the city, though demons and other creatures do still slip past from time to time. Aurora Watch soldiers have been fighting creatures from the Umbra Gates ever since the Abyssal rift reopened, but have been stuck in a stalemate for decades. Many civilians have left Bazzoxan in the ensuing years, and those who still live there primarily support the military and the mages fighting the forces of the Abyss.

Behind the scenes

 * Matt gave an overview of Bazzoxan in an interview with Todd Kenreck as part of the official media for the upcoming adventure Call of the Netherdeep (2022).
 * A pivotal part of the adventure in Call of the Netherdeep takes place in Bazzoxan.