Mini-Dungeons: Caverns and Underground Areas
Caverns can be dark and damp, or dry and dusty. They can be full of life, or entirely devoid of it. They hide treasures, they hide mystery, they are...dangerous. Below are some simple examples that can be dropped in at any time.
(Generated semi-randomly)
Here lies a cavern entrance that due to subsidence has lowered into the water. To access these caverns one would need to go underwater and swim through the entrance, where they could then come up into air in one of the topmost layers. It is only a small distance, so most should be able to make the swim with minimal equipment (e.g. no metal armors).
This was once the location of a temple complex where a religious conflict was fought, which is located in some of the lower caverns and partially sunken.
Myconids (21): In the damp upper part, a colony of myconid has spread out over five of the upper cavern rooms. This includes the entrance, because they draw water from the pool of the half-sunken entrance cavern. The eight or so young sprouts are safely kept in the back cavern. They have cultivated Shriekers that can warn them of unwanted interlopers, though they will rarely respond with aggression. Rust Monsters (2): A pair of docile rust monsters, pacified by the myconid's spores. The myconids walk them to the ruins to consume rust on the ancient weapons, and in exchange the rust monsters provide protection from the darkmantles, allowing the Myconids to scavenge the battlefield. Darkmantles (4): A group of darkmantles lurk in the tunnels between the ruins and the myconid colony, hoping to pick off individual stragglers for food. The tunnels are quite narrow, allowing them to easily fill them with darkness. Giant Rats (10): These little bastards run rampant throughout the ruins, though they avoid the Shadows. They are too small to be interesting to the Darkmantles, which means they can easily pass between the ruins and the upper caverns to try and nibble away at the fungus and moss that the myconids grow for their compost heaps. They are considered such a nuisance that the myconids have started to cultivate Shriekers to scare them off. Shadows (3): Battlefields are places of resentment, and doubly so when it comes to religious conflict. Among the ruins shadows stalk the land, preying on anyone foolish enough to come near. They are unaffected by the myconids' spores and the myconids have long since left the deeper part of the ruins alone. They lurk in the dark waters near the sunken back half of the ruins, guarding the treasure and holy symbols of the temple that lie submerged there under the waters. They avoid the deepest part of the shrine however, as they abhor the light emitted by the Moontouched Scimitar that still rests there. Other Notable Locations: Of the two tunnels that go in deeper one leads to the ruins, and the other eventually bends down and goes straight down into the water. At the far bottom lies the remains of a foolish explorer whose Ring of Water Breathing slipped off his fingers.
In Sabara, in the Eastern Dominion of Azu'Raq, lies among the salt flats several tunnels leading down from a salt dome into a peculiar cave structure. It spans an enormous area with dozens of rooms large and small, and it is also an absolute maze with many of the naturally formed tunnels going straight up or down into the salt caverns. There are also many halite deposits, and due to a trading agreement, there is a mining settlement of Dwarves from Furan that have settled here in the largest central chamber. Dwarves (37): They've come here to mine salt as part of the agreement, but as a settlement on foreign soil they also have a small military contingent. This consists of mostly Soldiers and Frontline Medics who are well-armed and -armored. They are outnumbered, but their resistance to poison and proper equipment has served them well. Their leader is an experienced Knight known for his fiery temper, but thanks to his keen intellect and the Sentinel Shield he owns, he is rarely caught off-guard. Deep Rothé (7): The Dwarves have brought these loyal cattle with them to aid in their mining operations. They are used to clear rubble, crack open new areas and move material. They are treated and fed well due to their importance to the mining operations. This is also why they have been a target of the Drow. Drow (32): The Drow (or 'Kurodaka' as they are called) are native to this place and this particular clan used to live well off the salt trade. The trade agreement has thrown a wrench into that however, and their resentment of the foreign Dwarves has led them to corruption. They have turned to the Elemental Prince Rusiabur, who has blessed them with dark gifts. Most are relatively untrained Cultists led by a few more devout Fanatics, but a few used to be swords for hire and have had military training as well as experience with poisons. A handful have gained powers as Warlocks, led by a Stonemelder called Ishiha. They hide in the labyrinthine tunnels and launch raids on the Dwarves' mining operations under the cover of darkness both natural and magical. Rust Monsters (5): The elves bought a breeding pair of these creatures from a traveling merchant, and now that they have some young they have put them into action to deal with the Dwarves' superior equipment. As they are raised from young, they are quite obedient if a bit stupid. Zombies (20): In this expansive system a warlock of the outer powers once settled to deliberate over a foul tome he had found, and to grow his power. The warlock is dead, but the corrupting power of the tome lingers and causes the dead to rise. It has even animated a group of Ogres who fled here from slavers and died. The conflict between the Drow and Dwarves has led to an increase in zombies, who are becoming more than a nuisance. Spectator (1): The warlock had tried to summon a greater power to aid him in his goals, but only managed to summon this small Spectator, which killed him anyway. It still lurks near the tome, guarding it with the aid of the zombies who are naturally drawn to protect the object sustaining them. Other Notable Locations: In one of the easterns sections is an incredibly narrow tunnel that goes straight down. A halfling adventurer once tripped and fell into this to his death. If anyone is able to get in and back out somehow, they might be able to loot the only piece of his equipment that survived: a Dagger of Venom. Other Notable Locations: In a collapsed tunnel in one of the lower sections, hidden behind the rubble, are some ruins from a previous civilization. Mostly everything has collapsed or decayed, except one wall which is a adorned by a crudely carved humanoid head. It is inhabited by a spirit that speaks in Primordial tongue and promises the power to meld the earth, but it is starving for attention and may use that same power to trap people in to keep him company unless convinced otherwise.
Here below the desert sands lies a portal to the Elemental Earth of the Chaos Wastes. Its influence has attracted several creatures from there, but it has also created a large sinkhole. Entering this place means braving that steep drop and without any magical assistance, it likely means death on impact. The inside is no less dangerous and almost maze-like with many dead ends or tunnels that move straight up or down.
A necromancer who had obtained a an object of great power, an orb containing occult magic, fled down this sinkhole to continue his research. He died to the aberrant powers but his undead servants still live on thanks to the orb. It has however also attracted the attention of other outsiders, strange creatures of alien anatomy. Dust Mephits (6): These little tricksters hang around near the sinkhole, often annoying travelers with their dust breath before retreating into the sinkhole. Down in the cavern system they will poke their nose into any ongoing fighting, trying to annoy both sides from a safe distance. Grell (15): The upper levels are filled with these strange creatures, which have been attracted by the orb's power. They are however held at bay by some of the undead, but while they have lost many, so have the undead which are now few in number. They usually roam in packs of 4 to 6. Xorn (2): These two creatures came here from the Elemental Earth to feast on any gemstones they could find. But with the orb there is now a gemstone above all gemstones, a delicacy. They have been trying to get to it, trying to sneak past aberrations and undead by gliding through the earth, and fighting them off where needed. Sword Wraiths (5): What was once a powerful legion of undead has now been vastly reduced in size. They lurk in the lowest cavern chamber to which the necromancer had retreated, forming a circle of defense around the orb which still sustains them. As they are few in number though, it is a matter of time before they are defeated. The leader of the wraiths still wields the Staff of Withering that once belonged to his master. Gargoyles (6): Just a single level above the bottom chamber, there is a tunnel going eastwards that seems to hit a dead end. Upon closer inspection however there is a small passage cutting behind it, which leads to a cavern room containing a dilapidated shrine with a portal to the Chaos Wastes. A group of gargoyles guard the shrine, but even they move out occasionally to see if they can pick at the orb. Other Notable Locations: In the eastern part, on a steep cliff wall rests a ledge that leads into a very narrow tunnel which a person could only crawl through. But at the end of the path is a small geode where the elemental energy has coalesced into a pair of yellow diamonds.
In this swampy cavern, a dragon has decided to make its lair, a good bit away from civilization but close enough to go on a raid if necessary. Its entrance lies in the open center of a bog, but a group of civilization-hating druids that serve the dragon have hidden it under an illusion of a swamp lake. Inside rocky caverns are alternated by mire and murky waters. It is home to many (partially) submerged rooms and tunnels, and a myriad of dead ends. Its hoard is located on a small island at the center of a subterranean lake at the far back. Young Black Dragon (1): This young dragon has managed to steal a decently sized hoard of wealth from nearby settlements and now fiercely guards it at the lowest cavern. Surrounding its little island is a large subterranean lake in which it has stored more of its wealth. As an amphibious creature it also likes to rest underwater and bathe itself there. It has also learned some nature magic from the druids. Kobolds (46): A large clan of kobolds is spread all the way from the anterior rooms and the entrance they guard, to the rooms near the dragon itself. They have placed most of the tunnels full of basic traps, such as poisoned spikes, that would catch anyone not watching their step, but the dragon can simply fly over. In addition, they have also built many wooden barricades that they can hide behind while they pepper any intruders stuck in their traps with arrows and sling stones.
Besides the traps, they have also carved many small tunnels which a large creature could not traverse. These allow them to move quickly and escape the hook horrors. They even made a sort of sluice that blocks one of the lakes, which they can collapse to sweep out intruders. They have about 35 adults capable of fighting in some capacity, including several Dragonshields and a Sorcerer. An example encounter distribution is listed below:
At the deepest edges of the territory of the Commonwealth of Furan, lies the largely Gnomish outpost of Duval. It was established to mine the rare electrically charged crystals that grow here. Unfortunately these crystals also attract Behirs. They can manage to fend the creatures off using magic, but now a group of Yuan-Ti has invaded from the Lu'Quan Jungles of the south and they have started worshiping one of the beasts. Together these two form a force that actually threatens the position of the Gnomes, who are tenaciously holding on while the chameleonic Snakekin raid their caravans and prod at the outpost. Behir (1): In these subterranean reaches, Behir are apex predators of the ecosystem. However civilized outposts like Duval give it issues, in particular the mages and their illusions and other tricks. Part of why it was so eager to accept the worship and service of the Yuan-Ti was to wage war on the Gnomes. When it is not out hunting it resides in the center of thet temple that the Snakekin built for it, coiled around a giant lodestone that was hung up in chains. Its climbing capabilities allow it to easily move across the walls and ceilings of the labyrinthine temple. Yuan-Ti (42): The Stormcaller Tribe is a clan of Snakekin renowned for their chameleon-like skin who came here from the coastal part just south of the Obsidian Peaks. They took to worshiping the Behir and have even built a maze-like temple in honor of the creature. To keep it appeased and stop it from continuously eating its servants, the Pit Masters decided to have a small coliseum built where Veterans and Gladiators fight for its amusement and to prove themselves. The tribe is led by the Abomination Elthsu, a powerful Storm Herald wielding the relic of their tribe: a gnarled Staff of Thunder and Lightning. He acts as the Behir's right hand, but secretly wishes for the conflict to result in the death of both the Behir and the Gnomes so it can use that as a blood sacrifice to elevate itself to an Anathema. Myconids (27): The Myconid are tenacious survivors that try to stay out of the conflicts going on down here. They scavenge the scenes of battles to gather spore servants so they can protect themselves. Sometimes they trade with the Gnomes, exchanging rare mushrooms and plants for more refined technology that they cannot produce themselves. They have scouted out the Chuul and have an inkling as to what they are guarding, but no desire to make a move on it. Chuul (5): The Chuul are a neutral party in all this. They reside at the bottom of a subterranean lake here where they guard a sunken ruin from ancient times. It was once a glorious temple to Hadar, but when the hungry Elder Titan needed power it summoned up a Sphere of Annihilation to draw in all that was near as a sacrifice. This caused severely damaged the temple's fundation and caused it to sink, so now all its treasures rest on the lake floor. The Sphere has stabilized and the Chuul still guard it, throwing anyone who draws near into the Sphere as a sacrifice. Deep Gnomes (34): This off-shoot from Furan has been here for a long time, mining and refining the valuable crystals that are found in these deeper reaches. Due to the difficulty of survival, not many live here except those who live off the crystals, military and researchers. They have a decently sized alchemist quadrant that study and make use of the unique ingredients fount down here. One of their greatest military assets are their powerful mages, particularly the Diviners and Illusionists as is usual amongst Gnomes. The Ebonhall Company are also based in this region. They are an elite contract-based mercenary company of spellswords Knights who use Invisibility and mobility spells like Spider Climb to navigate dangerous areas. The outpost is led by a War Priest of Gormar called Tovyn Crystallight, known for his pragmatic and utilitarian attitude. Hill Giant (2): These poor brothers got severely lost, having ran desperately after losing a battle with a jungle beast down south. When they arrived here, they thought they could boss the people of Duval around, but they were quickly fooled by their illusion magic and captured. Now they are forced to fight in the employ of the Gnomes against the Snakekin. Other Notable Locations: One of the eastern tunnels is filled with poisonous gases, but if one were to venture in it they would see an even stranger sight. Ghosts of dwarven miners who died here are cursed to mine endlessly even though they aren't making progress, still trying to find the magical gemstone that they were looking for in life. Any attempts to stop them will be met with agression and if they are destroyed, they rejuvenate in a day. The only way to put them to rest is to find what they were looking for.
(Generated semi-randomly)
Sunken Ruins
(For levels 2-3)Here lies a cavern entrance that due to subsidence has lowered into the water. To access these caverns one would need to go underwater and swim through the entrance, where they could then come up into air in one of the topmost layers. It is only a small distance, so most should be able to make the swim with minimal equipment (e.g. no metal armors).
This was once the location of a temple complex where a religious conflict was fought, which is located in some of the lower caverns and partially sunken.
Myconids (21): In the damp upper part, a colony of myconid has spread out over five of the upper cavern rooms. This includes the entrance, because they draw water from the pool of the half-sunken entrance cavern. The eight or so young sprouts are safely kept in the back cavern. They have cultivated Shriekers that can warn them of unwanted interlopers, though they will rarely respond with aggression. Rust Monsters (2): A pair of docile rust monsters, pacified by the myconid's spores. The myconids walk them to the ruins to consume rust on the ancient weapons, and in exchange the rust monsters provide protection from the darkmantles, allowing the Myconids to scavenge the battlefield. Darkmantles (4): A group of darkmantles lurk in the tunnels between the ruins and the myconid colony, hoping to pick off individual stragglers for food. The tunnels are quite narrow, allowing them to easily fill them with darkness. Giant Rats (10): These little bastards run rampant throughout the ruins, though they avoid the Shadows. They are too small to be interesting to the Darkmantles, which means they can easily pass between the ruins and the upper caverns to try and nibble away at the fungus and moss that the myconids grow for their compost heaps. They are considered such a nuisance that the myconids have started to cultivate Shriekers to scare them off. Shadows (3): Battlefields are places of resentment, and doubly so when it comes to religious conflict. Among the ruins shadows stalk the land, preying on anyone foolish enough to come near. They are unaffected by the myconids' spores and the myconids have long since left the deeper part of the ruins alone. They lurk in the dark waters near the sunken back half of the ruins, guarding the treasure and holy symbols of the temple that lie submerged there under the waters. They avoid the deepest part of the shrine however, as they abhor the light emitted by the Moontouched Scimitar that still rests there. Other Notable Locations: Of the two tunnels that go in deeper one leads to the ruins, and the other eventually bends down and goes straight down into the water. At the far bottom lies the remains of a foolish explorer whose Ring of Water Breathing slipped off his fingers.
Salt Sponge
(For levels 3-4)In Sabara, in the Eastern Dominion of Azu'Raq, lies among the salt flats several tunnels leading down from a salt dome into a peculiar cave structure. It spans an enormous area with dozens of rooms large and small, and it is also an absolute maze with many of the naturally formed tunnels going straight up or down into the salt caverns. There are also many halite deposits, and due to a trading agreement, there is a mining settlement of Dwarves from Furan that have settled here in the largest central chamber. Dwarves (37): They've come here to mine salt as part of the agreement, but as a settlement on foreign soil they also have a small military contingent. This consists of mostly Soldiers and Frontline Medics who are well-armed and -armored. They are outnumbered, but their resistance to poison and proper equipment has served them well. Their leader is an experienced Knight known for his fiery temper, but thanks to his keen intellect and the Sentinel Shield he owns, he is rarely caught off-guard. Deep Rothé (7): The Dwarves have brought these loyal cattle with them to aid in their mining operations. They are used to clear rubble, crack open new areas and move material. They are treated and fed well due to their importance to the mining operations. This is also why they have been a target of the Drow. Drow (32): The Drow (or 'Kurodaka' as they are called) are native to this place and this particular clan used to live well off the salt trade. The trade agreement has thrown a wrench into that however, and their resentment of the foreign Dwarves has led them to corruption. They have turned to the Elemental Prince Rusiabur, who has blessed them with dark gifts. Most are relatively untrained Cultists led by a few more devout Fanatics, but a few used to be swords for hire and have had military training as well as experience with poisons. A handful have gained powers as Warlocks, led by a Stonemelder called Ishiha. They hide in the labyrinthine tunnels and launch raids on the Dwarves' mining operations under the cover of darkness both natural and magical. Rust Monsters (5): The elves bought a breeding pair of these creatures from a traveling merchant, and now that they have some young they have put them into action to deal with the Dwarves' superior equipment. As they are raised from young, they are quite obedient if a bit stupid. Zombies (20): In this expansive system a warlock of the outer powers once settled to deliberate over a foul tome he had found, and to grow his power. The warlock is dead, but the corrupting power of the tome lingers and causes the dead to rise. It has even animated a group of Ogres who fled here from slavers and died. The conflict between the Drow and Dwarves has led to an increase in zombies, who are becoming more than a nuisance. Spectator (1): The warlock had tried to summon a greater power to aid him in his goals, but only managed to summon this small Spectator, which killed him anyway. It still lurks near the tome, guarding it with the aid of the zombies who are naturally drawn to protect the object sustaining them. Other Notable Locations: In one of the easterns sections is an incredibly narrow tunnel that goes straight down. A halfling adventurer once tripped and fell into this to his death. If anyone is able to get in and back out somehow, they might be able to loot the only piece of his equipment that survived: a Dagger of Venom. Other Notable Locations: In a collapsed tunnel in one of the lower sections, hidden behind the rubble, are some ruins from a previous civilization. Mostly everything has collapsed or decayed, except one wall which is a adorned by a crudely carved humanoid head. It is inhabited by a spirit that speaks in Primordial tongue and promises the power to meld the earth, but it is starving for attention and may use that same power to trap people in to keep him company unless convinced otherwise.
Desert Sinkhole
(For levels 5-7)Here below the desert sands lies a portal to the Elemental Earth of the Chaos Wastes. Its influence has attracted several creatures from there, but it has also created a large sinkhole. Entering this place means braving that steep drop and without any magical assistance, it likely means death on impact. The inside is no less dangerous and almost maze-like with many dead ends or tunnels that move straight up or down.
A necromancer who had obtained a an object of great power, an orb containing occult magic, fled down this sinkhole to continue his research. He died to the aberrant powers but his undead servants still live on thanks to the orb. It has however also attracted the attention of other outsiders, strange creatures of alien anatomy. Dust Mephits (6): These little tricksters hang around near the sinkhole, often annoying travelers with their dust breath before retreating into the sinkhole. Down in the cavern system they will poke their nose into any ongoing fighting, trying to annoy both sides from a safe distance. Grell (15): The upper levels are filled with these strange creatures, which have been attracted by the orb's power. They are however held at bay by some of the undead, but while they have lost many, so have the undead which are now few in number. They usually roam in packs of 4 to 6. Xorn (2): These two creatures came here from the Elemental Earth to feast on any gemstones they could find. But with the orb there is now a gemstone above all gemstones, a delicacy. They have been trying to get to it, trying to sneak past aberrations and undead by gliding through the earth, and fighting them off where needed. Sword Wraiths (5): What was once a powerful legion of undead has now been vastly reduced in size. They lurk in the lowest cavern chamber to which the necromancer had retreated, forming a circle of defense around the orb which still sustains them. As they are few in number though, it is a matter of time before they are defeated. The leader of the wraiths still wields the Staff of Withering that once belonged to his master. Gargoyles (6): Just a single level above the bottom chamber, there is a tunnel going eastwards that seems to hit a dead end. Upon closer inspection however there is a small passage cutting behind it, which leads to a cavern room containing a dilapidated shrine with a portal to the Chaos Wastes. A group of gargoyles guard the shrine, but even they move out occasionally to see if they can pick at the orb. Other Notable Locations: In the eastern part, on a steep cliff wall rests a ledge that leads into a very narrow tunnel which a person could only crawl through. But at the end of the path is a small geode where the elemental energy has coalesced into a pair of yellow diamonds.
Dragon's Morass
(For levels 7-9)In this swampy cavern, a dragon has decided to make its lair, a good bit away from civilization but close enough to go on a raid if necessary. Its entrance lies in the open center of a bog, but a group of civilization-hating druids that serve the dragon have hidden it under an illusion of a swamp lake. Inside rocky caverns are alternated by mire and murky waters. It is home to many (partially) submerged rooms and tunnels, and a myriad of dead ends. Its hoard is located on a small island at the center of a subterranean lake at the far back. Young Black Dragon (1): This young dragon has managed to steal a decently sized hoard of wealth from nearby settlements and now fiercely guards it at the lowest cavern. Surrounding its little island is a large subterranean lake in which it has stored more of its wealth. As an amphibious creature it also likes to rest underwater and bathe itself there. It has also learned some nature magic from the druids. Kobolds (46): A large clan of kobolds is spread all the way from the anterior rooms and the entrance they guard, to the rooms near the dragon itself. They have placed most of the tunnels full of basic traps, such as poisoned spikes, that would catch anyone not watching their step, but the dragon can simply fly over. In addition, they have also built many wooden barricades that they can hide behind while they pepper any intruders stuck in their traps with arrows and sling stones.
Besides the traps, they have also carved many small tunnels which a large creature could not traverse. These allow them to move quickly and escape the hook horrors. They even made a sort of sluice that blocks one of the lakes, which they can collapse to sweep out intruders. They have about 35 adults capable of fighting in some capacity, including several Dragonshields and a Sorcerer. An example encounter distribution is listed below:
- The tunnel leading into the cavern system opens up into a large room. There is a tripwire connected to a bell close to the room's entrance that will warn the Kobolds of any intruders. Above the tunnel entrance is wooden scaffolding where the tribe's 6 Winged Kobolds rest. If warned they will ambush any intruders from above using their Light Crossbows, while one of them will bang the drum to warn the rest of the cavern. Next to this large entrance room is a smaller cave hollow where the tribe's alchemists prepare their flask of acid and alchemist's fire. If alerted by the bell, drum or sounds of fighting, the 4 Kobold Inventors will storm in to assist their winged brethren.
- The wider tunnel connecting the entrance room to the rest of the cavern system is home to a streaming river ending in a waterfall leading to an underground lake. The Kobolds have built a sluice here to control the water level, but there is a hiding spot behind a walled segment of the wooden platform where there is a lever. If pulled, it can open the sluice to sweep intruders away towards the lower lake where a Black Pudding resides, functioning as waste disposal. Generally about 6 Kobolds are at work here, but some may be hidden in narrow, hidden side tunnels that run around this place if the cavern was alerted.
- In the eastern wing is a room where the tribe's insect tamers and exterminators work with their little friends. If alert, the 4 Inventors will throw down their swarms near any intruders and then retreat into the winding tunnels that run behind them, each taking a different one to split up intruders. Around some of the corners and bends in this maze-like structure, 4 of the tribe's Tinkerers are hidden, ready to unleash fire on any who charge in pursuit.
- The long central hall is well-fortified, with spiked barricades on each flank that can accomodate 2 Kobolds each from where they can fire their Light Crossbows. The central path seems open but actually contains a pit trap with a Black Pudding to ambush overeager intruders. There are tripwires in front of the barricades which trigger logs to swing down from the ceiling and slam intruders into the spikes.
- The anteroom before the dragon's lair is full of totems with Draconic markings, and it is where the Sorcerer prepares offerings for the Dragon. It is also where the 6 Dragonshields will make their last stand if forced to. They have one advantage though, there are hidden spike traps around the totems with the wrong markings. The Kobolds will recognize these, but intruders not familiar with Draconic may not recognize the pattern in time.
War-Torn Abyss of Duval
(For levels 11-17)At the deepest edges of the territory of the Commonwealth of Furan, lies the largely Gnomish outpost of Duval. It was established to mine the rare electrically charged crystals that grow here. Unfortunately these crystals also attract Behirs. They can manage to fend the creatures off using magic, but now a group of Yuan-Ti has invaded from the Lu'Quan Jungles of the south and they have started worshiping one of the beasts. Together these two form a force that actually threatens the position of the Gnomes, who are tenaciously holding on while the chameleonic Snakekin raid their caravans and prod at the outpost. Behir (1): In these subterranean reaches, Behir are apex predators of the ecosystem. However civilized outposts like Duval give it issues, in particular the mages and their illusions and other tricks. Part of why it was so eager to accept the worship and service of the Yuan-Ti was to wage war on the Gnomes. When it is not out hunting it resides in the center of thet temple that the Snakekin built for it, coiled around a giant lodestone that was hung up in chains. Its climbing capabilities allow it to easily move across the walls and ceilings of the labyrinthine temple. Yuan-Ti (42): The Stormcaller Tribe is a clan of Snakekin renowned for their chameleon-like skin who came here from the coastal part just south of the Obsidian Peaks. They took to worshiping the Behir and have even built a maze-like temple in honor of the creature. To keep it appeased and stop it from continuously eating its servants, the Pit Masters decided to have a small coliseum built where Veterans and Gladiators fight for its amusement and to prove themselves. The tribe is led by the Abomination Elthsu, a powerful Storm Herald wielding the relic of their tribe: a gnarled Staff of Thunder and Lightning. He acts as the Behir's right hand, but secretly wishes for the conflict to result in the death of both the Behir and the Gnomes so it can use that as a blood sacrifice to elevate itself to an Anathema. Myconids (27): The Myconid are tenacious survivors that try to stay out of the conflicts going on down here. They scavenge the scenes of battles to gather spore servants so they can protect themselves. Sometimes they trade with the Gnomes, exchanging rare mushrooms and plants for more refined technology that they cannot produce themselves. They have scouted out the Chuul and have an inkling as to what they are guarding, but no desire to make a move on it. Chuul (5): The Chuul are a neutral party in all this. They reside at the bottom of a subterranean lake here where they guard a sunken ruin from ancient times. It was once a glorious temple to Hadar, but when the hungry Elder Titan needed power it summoned up a Sphere of Annihilation to draw in all that was near as a sacrifice. This caused severely damaged the temple's fundation and caused it to sink, so now all its treasures rest on the lake floor. The Sphere has stabilized and the Chuul still guard it, throwing anyone who draws near into the Sphere as a sacrifice. Deep Gnomes (34): This off-shoot from Furan has been here for a long time, mining and refining the valuable crystals that are found in these deeper reaches. Due to the difficulty of survival, not many live here except those who live off the crystals, military and researchers. They have a decently sized alchemist quadrant that study and make use of the unique ingredients fount down here. One of their greatest military assets are their powerful mages, particularly the Diviners and Illusionists as is usual amongst Gnomes. The Ebonhall Company are also based in this region. They are an elite contract-based mercenary company of spellswords Knights who use Invisibility and mobility spells like Spider Climb to navigate dangerous areas. The outpost is led by a War Priest of Gormar called Tovyn Crystallight, known for his pragmatic and utilitarian attitude. Hill Giant (2): These poor brothers got severely lost, having ran desperately after losing a battle with a jungle beast down south. When they arrived here, they thought they could boss the people of Duval around, but they were quickly fooled by their illusion magic and captured. Now they are forced to fight in the employ of the Gnomes against the Snakekin. Other Notable Locations: One of the eastern tunnels is filled with poisonous gases, but if one were to venture in it they would see an even stranger sight. Ghosts of dwarven miners who died here are cursed to mine endlessly even though they aren't making progress, still trying to find the magical gemstone that they were looking for in life. Any attempts to stop them will be met with agression and if they are destroyed, they rejuvenate in a day. The only way to put them to rest is to find what they were looking for.
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