The Bos Magara

Geography

The Bos Magara is an enormous underground expansive cavern that was at one time a subterranean saltwater sea. After the waters left and several geological changes occurred, it now has claim to be the largest single open region of the underground realm. Roughly 300 miles in diameter, it has varying ceiling heights that are estimated to range from 500 feet to over 3,000 feet in height, depending on where one is located. Its great size and geologic events have led it to have numerous landscape regions, unique geologic features, and strange lifeforms.
As a giant cave, it consists of numerous stalagmites and stalactites with most of these occurring near the edges of the expanse. Scattered across the land are numerous lava pools, lava flows, lava rivers, and ash piles. In addition to these are several deep, super salinated pools of saltwater that have not evaporated or run dry. Black pools of stagnant fetid freshwater are often found here as well. Contrary to this are the green pools, green streams, and green lakes of freshwater. Their green color comes from the glowing green algae that lives in the healthy waters.
The largest green lake is known as Lake Gluhend Dezmeer found in the northeastern part of the cavern. Its name loosely translates to “Lake of Glowing Rain” because of the bioluminescent algae that grows on the wet seeps of the ceiling above it. Several times each year the algae will detach from the cavern roof and fall to the bottom, making it look as if it is raining green glowing raindrops. Several species of plant and animal live here including the Lacertian known as the Albin.
Theses dripping “rains” collect into several small pools and runoff streams, particularly in the eastern area. The Rau Zlo citadel of Barlang Varos, is found here at the edge of the cavern. The dark dwarves living here use the settlement as a waystation for acquiring the natural resources of the land.
In the southeastern region are the Amethyst Hills. Made of purple crystal, the hills are known to have many good specimens for those willing to brave the chain lightning that sporadically arcs across their slopes.
The Ember Peaks Of Koz stretch across the southern area and wedge themselves in towards the central parts as well. Named for the first to reach them and return alive, the volcanic peaks slowly spew forth lava flows, cinders, and ash. Their glowing lava is responsible for lighting up a great portion of the cavern. All of the continuous lava flows join together into a great lava river called the Blazing Worm that winds its way down slope toward the north end of the cavern.
To the east of the lava tributaries stands a small volcanic mountain ring that houses The Blue Lava Pool Of Kekla Va. This strange volcanic vent contains a rare form of blue lava that some say they see signs and messages within it. The Witnesses Of Kekla Va claim this pool holds a powerful deity waiting to break free.
Just to the east of the farthest north Ember Peak are several ancient stalagmite islands that are no longer surrounded by the sea. At the base of one of these islands is the Ruins Of Pitharcos. Pitharcos was a human city of the surface world that crashed through an opening made during the cataclysm of the Sundering. The people have been trapped here in a desperate state of survival ever since the Binding closed them off from the surface. They are now considered to be violent, unpredictable, and cannibalistic.
Just a few miles north of the city ruins lies the Tomb Waters Of Gravvand. It is said that half of the city split apart in its fall and slid into a shallow watery ravine. The cemetery, execution fields, slaughterhouses, and hospices all succumbed to the dark waters embrace. As the sea drained away all that was left was the fetid grey waters of Gravvand. The Pitharcons use this area to dispose of their refuse and it is said that anyone who dies in the grey waters will become a skeleton or zombie.
In the western and southwestern portions of the cavern are large stretches of flat deposited mineral salts. Made from white halite crystal, little can live here among the Salt Flats with the exception of a few crustaceans in the deeper briny pools.
On the far western slopes is the dark elf city of Hellaborg. Once a coastal fishing town it’s now a base for exploiting the salt, gypsum, and natural resources of the surrounding lands.
In the northwestern area of the cavern lies the vast Gypsum Steps. As the waters receded, dissolved gypsum minerals formed terraced steps that look as if some giant chiseled them from foggy crystal. These gigantic plates are made from solid white, yellow, and pink gypsum. This desolate land is constantly being explored by the dark elves who claim to be searching for rare crystals.
Finally, in the northern slopes can be found the Steam Lands. This area produces tremendous steam and water vapor as it recycles the waters of the Bos Magara. The rocky floor here is cracked with fissures and fractures that send the incoming water streams and lava rivers into the void below. In the depths the hot lava vaporizes the water and it billows up into the heights of the cavern. Here it will condense and drip down resupplying the freshwater areas.

Ecosystem

Nestled inside of this enormous cavern are several smaller micro climes that each have their own unique yet related ecosystems with their own plants and animals or in many cases neither of each. While many areas exist in complete darkness, others are lit by strange, green glowing algae that lives on the watery seeps of the cavern ceiling. Sometimes these small organisms fall to the rocky floor and grow among the puddles, streams, ponds, and underground lakes lighting them up as well. Additional light sources often come from the glowing hot lava that erupts and flows from the depths. Red and orange glows like a beacon in the darkness indicating massive lava pools, streams, and flows. All of the waterways and lava move towards the north slope of the Bos Magara, here they run into the numerous cracks, fractures, and fissures of the Steamlands, as they plummet over the edge into the unknown depths. Deep below, the cool water meets hot lava and produces the steam that billows up into the great cavern, spreading out, collecting, and condensing on the ceiling where the recycled water drips down into waterways once again.
Nearly all of the plants and animals will be found in either these lighted areas or the watery environments of the cavern. Those that do not require either place and those that live in between are perhaps the most self-sufficient and dangerous of all.

Ecosystem Cycles

Due to its depth beneath the surface, this area is very climatically stable and does not experience any seasons. The ambient light from the lava flows and bioluminescent algae remains the same all of the time as does the temperature and humidity of each location inside of the Bos Magara.

Localized Phenomena

Aside from the natural earthquakes and lava flows there are a few other strange phenomena that do occur from time to time. The Amethyst Hills are known to randomly produce white, chain lightning that arcs from peak to peak electrocuting anyone caught in its path. Reports have mentioned unusual, white glowing, amorphous lights slowing rising into the air before suddenly disappearing. Others claim to have seen a weird purple winds passing through the valleys that leave those caught inside of them screaming in madness. Be wary of the salt flats and saline pools as stories tell of those who ventured too close have been sucked down into the briny Swiftsalts. Perhaps the most unsettling tale is that of an eerie grey marshland near the ruins of Pitharcos that is said to raise up any dead body into an animated skeleton or zombie. Other rumors do abound but these seem to be the most substantiated so far.

Fauna & Flora

Plants
Only specialized plants that can exist without the sunlight are able to live here. They often get their light requirements from the luminescent algae or the light from glowing lava. Most plants live near the few watery areas and lack the vibrant colors of the surface world, most come in shades of red, yellow, black, grey, or even brown. A few of the more common species are the Red Sickle, Black Sickle, Black Spade, Yellow Hairgrass, Blood Choker Vines, Sulfur Lily, Rattlereed, and Jitter Cane.

Fungi
The fungi, moss, and lichens here can survive in a little more extreme environments than their plant counterparts and can be found throughout the subterranean world. Some interesting examples are the Sulfur Tops, Spotted Brimstone Heads, Violet Breath Mushroom, Giant Caveshroom, Black Hopstools, Golden Starmoss, Copperleaf Lichen, and the Soul Fire Lichen.

Fish
A few fish have managed to survive in this cavernous landscape. The survivors here are usually blind or have lost all pigmentation. The freshwater varieties are the Albino Cave Catfish, Albino Eels, Moonfish, and Walking Snakeheads. The saltwater varieties are the Silver Sardines, Rock Rays, White Rockfish, and Sea Daggers.

Insects
The insects are probably the most prevalent animal type that lives here. Being small, adaptable, and having little requirements has allowed them to prosper in this strange environment. They consist mostly of beetles, ants, flies, and their larvae. Hulker Beetles, Boulder Beetles, Crystal Ants, Lava Ants, Cinder Flies, Ore Grubs, Sulfur Moths, and Comasquitoes are the main ones to be wary of.

Birds
The only birds that live here are temporary pet escapees fleeing their captors. They are short lived here in this alien environment and would be hard pressed to find enough resources to survive for long. Two clever species that have managed to escape and now thrive here are the Rock Ravens and Iridescent Charmer Birds.

Mammals
Few mammals can survive here for long and those that have been able to are usually the least desirable. The majority here are an assortment of mice and rats that usually stay near the population centers, but several variety of bat can also be found throughout the Bos Magara.

Reptiles
The most common large animals and probably the most fearsome are the hungry reptiles. They are known to travel both into and out of the enormous cavern and throughout the underground world looking for meals. At any given time, any particular species could be roaming the area. Although the Granite Tortoise won’t hurt you, it is wise to be on the lookout for Razor Raptors, Bouldertails, and Lavaback Vipers.

Amphibians
Few of these creature can live in this environment, the few that do are always found in the rare freshwater pools, streams, and lakes. The most common among them are the White Croaker, Blind Belcher, Greenglow Fungus Frog, Grey Muddog, and the Spitting Hellbender.

Invertebrates/Worms
Often overlooked and hard to find in the best of conditions these spineless creatures are quite common if one know how to seek them out. Hidden in shallow pools, refuse piles, and debris can be found the Albino Crayfish, Glass Shrimp, Miniature Saltbrine Shrimp, Firepearl Oyster, Chalk Snail, Firepitch Ashworm, Gloom Spider, Tracker Centipede, Ghost Scorpion, and Mudwater Worm.

Humanoids
Several humanoids habitations are spread throughout this unground realm. Hellaborg houses the dark elves while Barlang Varos supports the Rau Zlo dark dwarves. Half elves have been spotted here and are assumed to be living with the human communities within the ruins of Pitharcos. The Albin are known to live in Lake Gluhend Dezmeer, but rarely stray far from there.

Others
Whether elemental or demonic, other strange and uncategorical creatures have been spotted across the harsh landscape. Cinder Serpents, Rock Bats, Helictites, the Grotes, Hellhounds, Shadowcats, Murkers, and Despairits have all been found in addition to animated corpses of skeletons and zombies.

Rumored Organisms
Rumors run rampant as to what other creatures or beings may reside here. Everything from giant versions of the resident plants and animals, to elementals, planar creatures, dinosaurs, and even half-man half-insects have been claimed. What other unsubstantiated creatures may be hidden in the dark recesses.

Natural Resources

At first sight, there appears to be very little natural resources available in this bleak and barren landscape, but with a little knowledge, luck and perseverance, a few natural resources are can be harvested from the land. 
The most prevalent resources are the rocks themselves. Considerable amounts of limestone, dolomite, marble, granite, rhyolite, andesite, and diorite can be found here and useful not only in building but also for sculpting.
Several igneous and metamorphic based minerals are also readily available. Quartz, feldspar, hornblende, mica, and garnet are highly sought after. Small amounts of gold, silver, copper, and lead can be found on occasion as well.
Amethyst points can be collected in the Amethyst Hills if one is willing to risk the chain lightning there.
Many amphibians and Jitter Cane is farmed by the Albin in Lake Gluhend Dezmeer. The amphibians make for solid high protein meals and the Jitter Cane is used to make a high energy, sugary spice that flavors certain meals and drinks.
Gypsum towers are gathered by the dark elves in the Gypsum Steps.
Salt crystals are fought over by both the dark elves and the dark dwarves in the Salt Flats.
The Violet Breath Mushroom is secretly harvested for its spores. The spores are processed and refined into a dark ink and then dried into a hallucinogenic powder. This in turn is sold on the black market as an illegal drug called Inexhale or Violet Breath.
Black Hopstool fungi are also collected and used by the Rau Zlo military. They are eaten before a battle to give the warriors increased strength, constitution, endurance, and pain tolerance. A euphoric high accompanies this shortly after ingestion. During the course of battle the dark dwarves generally burn through this high.
Everyone is always on the lookout for Firepearl Oysters as they contain the rare and red hued Firepearl. This is perhaps the most monetarily valuable resource in the Bos Magara.

History

The Bos Magara initially existed as an enormous, underground, saltwater sea. The dark elves had established a small subterranean seaport town called Hellaborg, on the western edge centuries ago. They mainly processed salt and harvested fish from the waters.
When the cataclysm struck and the Sundering and the Binding subsided, the area was propelled on a course that would change it forever. Great cracks, fissures, and fractures occurred in the sea flood at the north end of the region, slowly draining away the resource giving waters. Without the pressure of the water, frequent earthquakes occurred, ripping apart the landscape. This in turn allowed great lava flows and eruptions to reshape the land and raise the temperature.
Amplified temperatures intensified evaporation of the seawater creating a hot and humid environment. As the seawater lowered it deposited vast quantities of salt in the flat areas and gypsum along the cliffs and stepped areas. Within a century the vast sea was reduced to a few scattered pools of super salty water, as the rest of it had either evaporated or drained into the steaming cracks and fissures of the northern slope.
Fortunately the evaporating and steaming water vapor would collect and condense on the cavern roof and drip down creating new freshwater pools, streams, and lakes throughout the expansive cavern. Over time new species of plants and animals would find their niches in the changed environment.
At the time of the cataclysm when the planet broke apart, a human city cracked off and fell into the dark underground void of the world. It crashed onto a small, mountain island in the quickly receding subterranean sea. As the planet closed up over them, the inhabitants of the ruined city of Pitharcos were forced to adapt quickly and fight to survive.
Some 418 years later, the Albin followed their outcast leader Torg Greenfin, into the Bos Magara and took up residence in the northern Lake Gluhend Dezmeer. A few years after them, Calsis Skullhammer, the Rau Zlo dark dwarf led some of his people into the enormous cavern and established a new settlement called Barlang Varos on the eastern side, to explore the new areas resources. By 598 the dark dwarves had discovered The Blue Lava Pool Of Kekla Va.
As the centuries progressed, new areas of the Bos Magara were explored and new organisms were discovered. The earthquakes and lava eruptions continue to affect the landscape to this day, but a balance has long been reached with stable temperatures, humidity, and lighting.

Tourism

This perilous location is not only hard to reach but also very hard to survive in. The lack of reliable food, water, and shelter contribute to the other natural hazards, dangerous plants, animals, and inhabitants that would deter most visitors. Surface dwellers never come here and only a few of the dark elves and dwarves travel here for pleasure. Those who can be found here are usually searching for some of the natural resources or are looking to gaze into the remote and now controversial Blue Lava Pool Of Kekla Va.

Type

Underground / Subterranean

Included Locations

• Barlang Varos
• Lake Gluhend Dezmeer
• The Blue Lava Pool Of Kekla Va
• The Ruins Of Pitharcos

Included Organizations

• The Witnesses Of Kekla Va

Related Ethnicities

• The Albin

Related Traditions

• The Seger Soulmasa

Inhabiting Species

• Helictite
• Rock Bat
• Soul Fire Lichen
• The Grote

Related Materials

• Soul Fire Ink

Dangers
The underground cavern is a hard and unforgiving place with very few plants or animals, most of which can hurt you. Inhabitants that manage to survive here, have reported on the many dangers of the Bos Magara. From lava eruptions, earthquakes, rock falls, scalding steam, boiling mud pits, and blind crevasses, to infectious diseases, poisonous plants and animals, magical creatures and various races of traveling humanoids.

Diseases
The silent killers of the cavern are often the forgotten and overlooked infectious diseases. There are many to watch out for in this environment and those who survive its immediate dangers often succumb to its long term effects. A few of the most common diseases to be wary of are Lunghack, Eyevitis, Dracunculus, Desmodeus, Histoplasmosis, Greenglow, and Redrunners Disease to name a few.