Underground Tunnels

The Underground Tunnels are a location in The Gates. They are, as the name suggests, a series of underground tunnels which are unnexpectedly large at about 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall. The extent of their coverage under the surface is currently unknown.
This location was first discovered by Kaswink while out hunting and stalking Crystal-clawed Badgers. The entrance she found has since been reported to Agave to be marked on the map.

Geography

The geography of these tunnels is mostly just dirt, mud, or some other material depending on their location. The tunnels that have been seen in Tympi's Forest are damp mud and some dirt.
Within the tunnels one can find gems of varying size, shape, quality and usefullness. These gems break up the otherwise drab surroundings into a gorgeous vision of wealth, either materially or spiritually depending on one's point of view.
There are also caverns which these tunnels connect. Some caverns can be incredibly large, capable of perhaps housing an entire town, while others are a lot smaller. Dripping mixtures of water and minerals cause the formation of stalactites and stalagmites, some of which might contain gems or even threats of some kind.
Some tunnels cause a change in elevation respective to the above environment, while others may help reach the surface or lead into "The Even Further Underground".

Ecosystem Cycles

The tunnels are largely consistent throughout the year. Some animals do hybernate, and when they do they usually find a small cavern to squeeze into before walling it off from the rest of the tunnels with a dense layer of whatever minerals they had been hoarding that year.
So, depending on the season, there may be less areas to explore. Additionally, as the seasons progress certain worms will dig deeper underground to avoid the frost if it is an area that experiences such things.

Fauna & Flora

The animal life that can be found in these tunnels ranges from creatures that spend their entire lives underground to creatures that only appear in them to travel, sleep or to evade the weather and other hazards.
These creatures could feed on each other, on fresh and living plants or fungi, on decaying plants and animals, or they could also eat the dirt, gems and other minerals.
Some plants and fungi can also be found underground. The plants that exist here are usually lacking in chlorophyll and instead obtain their nutrients by taking energy from decaying plants or animals, from the roots of living plants, through parasitic relationships with animals, or by taking similar energy from fungi which, in turn, obtains its energy from decaying plants and animals.
Because these plants lack chlorophyll and are largely subterannean they are oftentimes very pale colors or white.

Natural Resources

Large chunks of differently colored gems provide a small amount of light as they glow as well. Other mineral deposits can also be seen, and a particularly entrepreneurial individual could mine out the different minerals for use in constructing items, furniture, buildings and other defenses. Certain minerals might even have otherworldy properties that could help with quality of life in other ways.
The mushrooms found underground are incredibly rare as they do not appear very often. Instead spending their lives hidden within the ground as mycelium or rhyzomorphs. If some mycelium could be harvested, a mushroom could be grown overtime and would be a valuable addition to any garden.

Location under

The Gates

Inhabiting Species

• Badgers
• Refracted Stalker