Underdark Cuisine

NSFW. Some general grossness and taboo subjects ahead.

Note

This is a generalized article describing the common trends in food for all humanoid species that live in underdark, more specific articles for certain races and cultures may be added at later date.

In the deepest depths of the earth, so deep that calling it underground doesn't suffice, rests the inhospitable and deadly caverns of underdark. This region is famous for the horrifying beasts, deadly poisons, unimaginable horrors, but rarely do people speak the food which the locals of these depths eat. This is, of course, a huge missed opportunity, as a broad understanding of local food cultures can really save a travellers life.

While underdark is a large and varied area, and the food cultures there vary, some general statements about the food and food sources can be made, give a picture of the culinaristic opportunities that the area can hold. Often weird and even a bit poisonous when eaten in the wrong type of quantities, there are many things that the local cuisine can offer.

Cooking in Underdark

Cooking your food in a space where airflow is a lot sluggish and oxygen levels lower can prove to be difficult, especially if you happen to be in caverns that have very little materials that will actually burn. Fire, all and all, can be tricky underground, and in Underdark even more so.

It is easier to be mindful of fire in spaces where you might accidentally burn your environment - but it is scarily easy to forget to watch the fire, when it slowly eats the already thick air around you, before suffocating you in all silence. Many noxious gases also float in the dark caverns, some of them highly flammable, and even worse, sometimes they have no colour or odour associated with them.

This, in practice, means that cooking with fire is already an activity that requires specific circumstances; kitchen areas are often either in large areas or rooms that are large and well ventilated. Things are rarely cooked for long periods of time, so the food items are either very thin or left a bit raw. Things that are properly smoked or thick pieces of meat are rare delicacies, that only those with the best circumstances can afford. Alternative heating methods from magic to chemical reactions are sometimes used to make heat for food making to avoid open fires.

Many foods are dried, fermented, pickled or treated with different types of fungi to make them edible; some races even have found clever ways to 'cook' their foods with mildly acidic or alcoholic mixtures. One might get surprised how little heating goes into some Underdark dishes, which also is part of the reason why some of the foreign travellers might leave the table with a stomach ache before they get used to new types of foods.

Components and tools

One must remember, that the Underdark is a very harsh environment, and like in most harsh environments, locals hate to waste resources. This can be seen in how the locals use every bit of what they hunt or gather. This may seem horrendous or weird for creatures that come from more fortunate and forgiving environments, but it is also one of those things that are easily corrected with some perspective after one has tried to survive some time in these grim caverns.

Meat and protein

The most common type of wildlife eaten by the locals of Underdark is actually different types of insects, larva and arachnids, which are both nutritious and their poisons and chitin shells can serve multiple purposes. Small bugs are easy to farm, while large ones offer much more to eat. Their eggs are also considered valuable food items.

Avian meat is a rarity in these depths for obvious reasons, but some mammals do appear in the area and as part of the local meal plan. Mammals are fairly safe creatures to eat, as they are rarely poisonous. Reptilian meat is another very popular protein source in Underdark cuisine. A variety of lizards and snakes inhabit the depths, offering a stable food source as well as good quality leather.

While this trait is not shared by all the cultures of Underdark, it is also good to be aware that multiple humanoid groups find no moral issue to eat the meat of other sentient beings. While rarely cannibalistic, some locals find justifications of both practical and religious to eat the flesh of their enemies, when the situation so dictates. This is a fairly rare practice, but good to consider if some of the locals start to stare at one with a particularly hungry gaze.

Fungi and plantlife

Most of the mushrooms and plants of the Underdark reproduce with spores, and many of these are more or less poisonous without proper preparation. There are few plants that carry berries or grow tubers, which can be edible. It's good to note that berries of Underdark tend to be sour or bitter rather than sweet, which can surprise first-time visitors. Salads do not tend to be that much of a thing this deep underground, as leaves around don't tend to be good for humanoid consumption as they are.

That said, in the world of mushrooms there are far more tasty options to choose from, as the varieties are large. Together with roots, these are some of the most prefered vegan options for food from the ones that are available. It is good to note, however, that some of the common food elements like this can have hallucinogenic properties if used in large quantities, or be mildly poisonous and cause illness for those whose body hasn't learned to digest them yet.

Minerals and spices

Locals of the Underdark have themselves a staggering amount of different types of rock salts, as well as some unique consumable minerals that the surface people are not even aware of. While the few plants with leaves don't necessarily make a salad, they can be used as herbs to season food. Together with some of the bitter berries available, people of Underdark actually have an impressive arsenal of spices to use for their cooking.

As the plants of the Underdark don't tend to be sweet, neither is their food - no, it is often quite spicy and can feel strong for a new traveller. Thus, the best way to make a person coming from Underdark feel more welcome on the surface may just be by offering them hot and spicy foods.

Important Locations

• Mori'tarna
• Scar Deep Roads
• Tunnels of Szith Draethoz

Related Ethnicities

• Iidran
• Scarborn
• The Children, Eilistraeen