A Minute With: A Deep Rothe Herder

When people say "the middle of nowhere" or "the frontier" what settlement name do they use?

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Um, before I answer that, human: are you sure you know how to ride one of these? It's just that your saddle is backwards, you left off the pad, and that cinch strap will have you sucking stone before we're clear of the city....
You meant to do that. Of course.
Shall I wait while you un-do it?
On second thought, I'll do it. I can tell you've not spent much time around animals of any sort. Or out of chairs, based on your physique. Not enough ink or pages to it, eh?
There, that's better. The saddle is secure, but you'll want to stay off of the ceilings and walls in the tunnels. And the reins go in one hand, not strung across both like a garotte. Yes, just like that. These lizards are bred for responsiveness and agility, so they're very sensitive. Try not to do too much wiggling around up there, or you'll end up on the ground.
Alright, everyone, let's head out: these deep rothe won't move themselves.
Human, stay well ahead of the herd with me, keep your voice down if you must speak, and make no sudden moves. Deep rothe are as skittish as they are solid: if you cause a stampede, I swear on The Lady's breasts, we'll let the goblins use whatever's left of your hide for pants.
As long as we're clear on all of the previous points, we can move on to your question.
Middle of nowhere. That would depend on which direction you're referring to. Your perspective on the surface is...well, surface-level. Two dimensional. In the Dark, we think in three, as we must; for while most of you surface-types can ignore what's going on above and beneath you with few consequences, those of us who want to survive down here can't.
So, your "middle of nowhere" could mean above, as in the Twilight and Light zones. They're both very remote, although we do much more -- relatively speaking -- on the Twilight level than the accursed Light. At certain points, the rothe herds or other livestock might be moved to a grazing area in the Twilight with more food while the ones in the Dark are allowed to rest or regenerate. The rothe like it, but it's a misery for the scouts who must lead the drive there and back. There's several ways to get stuck with that task, but it usually goes to the lowest-ranking or recently-disfavored members of the ranch. Ugh, being rid of that memory will be the best part of death....
Anyhow, in addition to treachery from rivals, slaves, and the rothe themselves, herders traveling the Twilight must remain vigilant for undead. Some will attack the herds, others are only interested in sentient prey; but they're all a nasty reminder of how very far from everything you are. In some years -- usually the ones when the Academy's graduation hunt is bad -- the undead are so thick by herd-moving time that several high priestesses have to join the drive, and they're never happy about it.  With all the things your clerics and arcanists have destroyed since you appeared in the world, human, why do undead still exist? They seem like something you should have erased early on.
That brings us to the Light. The only time most of us go anywhere near that wretched place is while passing through on the way to or from a surface expedition, and even then, that stage is kept as short as possible. Too many hands and too much treasure can be lost there, especially if the retreat wasn't clean. There are some among the tunnel rats -- rare drow who've quit the cities entirely in favor of roving the wilds...few succeed -- who do spend a significant amount of time between the Twilight and Light levels. No one really knows why; they don't seem to know themselves. But they have made some very useful discoveries over time. Of course, House Dinfein also meets its surface caravans and messengers between the Light and Twilight. We do a great deal with Dinfein. They're quite generous with the contents of those deep pockets of theirs; sometimes there's interesting food involved, too. Like...I believe you call them oranges? Ah, those are wonderful....
Don't look at me like that, human. We don't normally have them down here, okay?
Hmph.
Hm. Trail marker inscribed on the wall here. It seems part of the path to left has become unstable and is likely to collapse soon. We will have to go to the right. Stay here and keep quiet. I'm going to alert the rest of the column, and I'll be back.

. . . .

Well done, human! My cousin in House Jhulyr swears your kind must be completely broken before you can follow commands well. It seems he's wrong. Maybe it's just motivation? Come along: we have to take the long way around now, and there's a ways to go yet.
As I was saying, that's vertical. "Nowhere" could refer to the wilds in the tunnels, and to most of the sea as well. You're surprised? There are rivers, there are falls: come now, human, where do you think all the water goes? There are even rumored to be places where our sea meets the surface ones. They sound like something out of the deepest of the hells, consumed by a horrible white light so bright and hot it instantly sears flesh and bone all the way through. No one has ever seen it and survi -- er, what are you smiling about, human?
Forgive you and continue. Right. You know, I don't know about you....
The sea is vast, bigger than anyone simply told about it can imagine. It's possible to go weeks, even months without seeing dry land, or any sign of life beyond fliers and the Things in the depths. Well, yes...I suppose they are sea monsters. Also fish. But even those aren't to be trifled with. You'd have to see their teeth and claws to fully understand. The waters have a steady roll to them that might be soothing if not for the sudden storms. They're powered by natural surges of the magic here; and will destroy even the sturdiest ship or swallow it outright in moments. Sometimes things simply vanish. Some of the storms are predictable, and can be easily avoided. Others are completely random, save that they happen far from shore. Even House Rauveld has been constantly thwarted in its efforts to figure out the storms, so all but the truly mad stick to the rivers for travel and leave the sea to itself. Of course, every so often, some arrogant "adventurers" from the surface venture out anyway, assuming they're special. We sell them storage spaces for excess equipment, then simply divide it up as soon as they're underway. They deserve whatever fate befalls them.
Does that seem harsh to you, human? You know, the mind has wilds from which there is no return as well. When one ventures too far into them.... What can I say? Resources are limited here.
There is one other "nowhere" I can tell you about. There is a city in the Dark, Omasorin -- you've heard of it? Impressive. I didn't expect that at all. Have you been there? No? Hm. I'm not sure whether to congratulate you on that or encourage you to correct it. Omasorin isn't remote in the same sense the places I've already mentioned are: it's the largest of our cities, and a very important commercial and manufacturing hub. It was always a busy, crowded, noisy place, but in the last five years, the city has become a mockery of itself, and of drow culture as a whole. They've become far too cozy with the deluge of non-drow they let in, and the Church there has proven too weak or too complicit to bring them to heel. Oh, human, the reckoning coming to that place. Our Mother does not tolerate such blasphemy, weakness, or incompetence; and she isn't known for mercy. Since you are so quaintly curious about the Dark, you may wish to see the city while it stands; but you won't want to be anywhere near when it falls.
And here's our destination. The way the lichen field spreads out below is rather lovely, isn't it? Don't lean too far forwards or backwards in your saddle, it will make it easier for your mount to pick its way down this slope, and keep you from being trampled as the rothe follow. They'll be comfortable grazing here for a few months, until it's time to round them up and bring them in for shearing again.
You know, for a soft, green desk gnome, you did surprisingly well today. Maybe we should keep you.