Frostgale Taiga Upperdark
The Frostgale Taiga has a large series of underground caverns located within 3 miles from the surface. While there are many cave systems scattered throughout the world, this one is considered the Upperdark as it has a connection down to the massive labyrinth of honeycombed tunnels known as the middledark. It is centered primarily over the Snowdrift Flatlands and has numerous inhabitants and features unique to the region.
Black - Primary Tunnels. These are the flattest, widest and easiest traveling tunnels in the region. They are the most often inhabited or traveled by intelligent creature.
Red - Secondary Tunnels. Significantly rougher than the main underdark veins, these are secondary routes that weave through the main passages. Many are rough, requiring climbing or travel through submerged tunnels.
Blue - Tertiary Tunnels. These are the least safe and often most difficult portions of the underdark to traverse. Some are straight vertical climbs, others narrow to barely large enough for a Svirfneblin to squeeze through. 1. Sliblapgloopop - Home to Kuo-toa, this small group has made a small underground pool their home. The Kuo-toa worship the bloated remains of a Cloaker, and a strange magic has managed to animate it. They have inflated the cloaker and pierced it with sticks before sticking some large eyes on the end of them. This worship has caused the remains of a beholder to animate as a Zombie Beholder, whom the kuo-toa revere as some sort of twisted deity. The arch-priest of the tribe is Bibblepop. 2. Zanzarite - This is the largest settlement of the upperdark portion of the Frostgale Taiga, and is home to a large colony of Svirfneblin. This enclave fled from the lower reaches of the underdark where their enclave was invaded by a Drow host. The remainder have lived in this area for generations, carving out a new home for themselves. 3. Bharikzin - This Derro Enclave is little more than a motley collection of skins, bone and tents the Derro have taken up residence in. A mindflayer has a home beneath the . The derro are mostly insane and of little use or sustenance to the mindflayer, but they worship it as 'the deep lord'. They hunt down nearby intelligent humanoids for experimentation and food for the mindflayer. Some of the Derro have broken away from this worship and a group of them have begun to spread the word of Infernos, praising the fire god as the true ruler. 4. Granital - This Duergar outpost has been setup as a worker and slave transfer area. They are led by staging area for fulfilling their contracts with the Hand of Doom and construction of great citadels of evil in the region. 5. Infernos - A fire giant named "Furindar, Lord of Fire", banished from the Plane of Fire, has taken up residence under the Famrial Mountain. He lords over a small kingdom of Firenewts that worship the giant as a god. He has enslaved a colony of derro who are attempting to spread the insane worship of "the lord of fire" throughout the area. 6. The Ruins of Khundrukar - An old dwarven ruin that used to be part of the larger empire, it has been vacant for hundreds of years. It is currently inhabited by a small tribe of Troglodytes, a scouting party of Duergar, a renegade tribe of orcs, and a black dragon has made its lair in the depths. 7. Levraxas Lair - The Black Dragon Levraxa used to have a secondary lair in this series of underground tunnels. She had enslaved a group of Kuo-toa from the depths to her bidding, and found that their worship remarkably seemed to empower her. The tunnels connect to the Frigid Morass and flood often, so few creatures manage to survive here for long. It also has a vein of lava flowing nearby, lending to a higher than normal temperature. 8. Burok Thorm - The Karunbar Dwarves of Burok Thorm have a heavy fortress built deep in the hills. A little known route leads from deep within their hold to the other parts of the Upperdark. It skirts the Remorhaz hunting grounds, but occasionally their young makes it into these tunnels. 9.Remorhaz Hunting Grounds - A group of Remorhaz including their young have taken to hunting the Sunrise Path. There are various surface connections that shift frequently depending on the Remorhaz travel. Deep inside is a single nest where the matron lies. 10. Caves of Mystery - An unexplored and mysterious cave system lies near the base of the Famrial Mountain. Few dare enter, but those who brave its depths can find a route to the other parts of Upperdark as well as the route deep into the bowels of the earth. 11. The Ruins of Rhest - The old capital of the Kingdom of Theodric the Just are the now simply known as the Ruins of Rhest. The region has long since been overtaken by the Frigid Morass and is a flooded wasteland. The tops of a few structures are still visible in the water, and tunnels now bore deep below. The entire area is inhabited by a terrifying Merrow Tribe who have gone to war against the elves of Marais. Their tunnels go deep underground, where mystical energy gives them their power. 12. Aurumpalaranthrix's Lair - An adult gold dragon has taken up residence in a large cave in the Dragons Teeth Mountains. Here he slumbers, occasionally waking to his beautiful vista over the valley. A group of gold kobolds have found their way to the rear of the cave, and defend the hidden passage south viciously against any who would threaten their master. The dragon tolerates the kobolds as many are accustomed to doing, and has attempted to put them on the path of righteousness. 13. The Cloaker Cavern - A pair of cloakers emerged from the underdark after escaping their bonds from the Drow. One is missing, and the other seeks it out. The fearsome creature has nested in a cavern and has been feeding on stirges, being unfamiliar with this region. 14. Temple to Zuggtmoy - The twisted Formian known only as the Colossus of Pestilence has set of a temple to its twisted master, the demon lord Zuggtmoy.
Primary Inhabitants
Kuo-Toa - The Kuo-toa have a single village called Sliblapgloopop. They have indirectly animated a Zombie Beholder whom they worship. Merrow - The wicked Merrow control the flooded tunnels near The Mirrored Reservoir below the Ruins of Rhest. Derro - Insane creatures from the lowerdark, they control a vital junction. Half are under the command of a mindflayer and dwell in the village of Bharikzin, while recent converts to the worship of Furindar dwell in both Bharikzin and Infernos. Duergar - The duergar clan The Sons of Iron have an outpost they are using to stage excursions into this area of the Upperdark. Their out post is named Granital. Kobolds - Gold kobolds have gathered to serve the gold dragon Aurumpalaranthrix. They are generally "good", or at least attempt to be, and call themselves the Scales of Justice. The Karunbar Dwarves - The dwarves of Burok Thorm call a vast, ancient hold their home. Furindar, Lord of Fire - The self proclaimed lord of fire is a banished Fire giant who has carved out Infernos as his home. Deep Gnomes - The Deep Gnomes of Zanzarite have many clans that dwell in this settlement. They are fighting a losing battle against one known only as the Colossus of Pestilence, a monstrous Fomorian blessed by the evil demon lord Zuggtmoy. Yarracks Orcs - This tribe of orcs has defected from the Stormcaller clan and dwells in the top level of The Ruins of Khundrukar. Kaarghazs Troglodytes - This small group of Troglodytes eeks out a meager existence in the Glitterhame, the large cavern located in The Ruins of Khundrukar. Levraxa - The young adult black dragon Levraxa has a few lairs spread throughout the region. One lair is deep within the The Ruins of Khundrukar while the other sits under the Frigid Morass near the Famrial Mountain. Aurumpalaranthrix - The adult gold dragon has a single lair high in the dragons teeth mountains, though a single tunnel leads deep within the mountain down into the upperdark.. Remorhaz - The terrible Remorhaz infest the northern reaches of the upperdark.Locations and Surface Connections
Red - Secondary Tunnels. Significantly rougher than the main underdark veins, these are secondary routes that weave through the main passages. Many are rough, requiring climbing or travel through submerged tunnels.
Blue - Tertiary Tunnels. These are the least safe and often most difficult portions of the underdark to traverse. Some are straight vertical climbs, others narrow to barely large enough for a Svirfneblin to squeeze through. 1. Sliblapgloopop - Home to Kuo-toa, this small group has made a small underground pool their home. The Kuo-toa worship the bloated remains of a Cloaker, and a strange magic has managed to animate it. They have inflated the cloaker and pierced it with sticks before sticking some large eyes on the end of them. This worship has caused the remains of a beholder to animate as a Zombie Beholder, whom the kuo-toa revere as some sort of twisted deity. The arch-priest of the tribe is Bibblepop. 2. Zanzarite - This is the largest settlement of the upperdark portion of the Frostgale Taiga, and is home to a large colony of Svirfneblin. This enclave fled from the lower reaches of the underdark where their enclave was invaded by a Drow host. The remainder have lived in this area for generations, carving out a new home for themselves. 3. Bharikzin - This Derro Enclave is little more than a motley collection of skins, bone and tents the Derro have taken up residence in. A mindflayer has a home beneath the . The derro are mostly insane and of little use or sustenance to the mindflayer, but they worship it as 'the deep lord'. They hunt down nearby intelligent humanoids for experimentation and food for the mindflayer. Some of the Derro have broken away from this worship and a group of them have begun to spread the word of Infernos, praising the fire god as the true ruler. 4. Granital - This Duergar outpost has been setup as a worker and slave transfer area. They are led by staging area for fulfilling their contracts with the Hand of Doom and construction of great citadels of evil in the region. 5. Infernos - A fire giant named "Furindar, Lord of Fire", banished from the Plane of Fire, has taken up residence under the Famrial Mountain. He lords over a small kingdom of Firenewts that worship the giant as a god. He has enslaved a colony of derro who are attempting to spread the insane worship of "the lord of fire" throughout the area. 6. The Ruins of Khundrukar - An old dwarven ruin that used to be part of the larger empire, it has been vacant for hundreds of years. It is currently inhabited by a small tribe of Troglodytes, a scouting party of Duergar, a renegade tribe of orcs, and a black dragon has made its lair in the depths. 7. Levraxas Lair - The Black Dragon Levraxa used to have a secondary lair in this series of underground tunnels. She had enslaved a group of Kuo-toa from the depths to her bidding, and found that their worship remarkably seemed to empower her. The tunnels connect to the Frigid Morass and flood often, so few creatures manage to survive here for long. It also has a vein of lava flowing nearby, lending to a higher than normal temperature. 8. Burok Thorm - The Karunbar Dwarves of Burok Thorm have a heavy fortress built deep in the hills. A little known route leads from deep within their hold to the other parts of the Upperdark. It skirts the Remorhaz hunting grounds, but occasionally their young makes it into these tunnels. 9.Remorhaz Hunting Grounds - A group of Remorhaz including their young have taken to hunting the Sunrise Path. There are various surface connections that shift frequently depending on the Remorhaz travel. Deep inside is a single nest where the matron lies. 10. Caves of Mystery - An unexplored and mysterious cave system lies near the base of the Famrial Mountain. Few dare enter, but those who brave its depths can find a route to the other parts of Upperdark as well as the route deep into the bowels of the earth. 11. The Ruins of Rhest - The old capital of the Kingdom of Theodric the Just are the now simply known as the Ruins of Rhest. The region has long since been overtaken by the Frigid Morass and is a flooded wasteland. The tops of a few structures are still visible in the water, and tunnels now bore deep below. The entire area is inhabited by a terrifying Merrow Tribe who have gone to war against the elves of Marais. Their tunnels go deep underground, where mystical energy gives them their power. 12. Aurumpalaranthrix's Lair - An adult gold dragon has taken up residence in a large cave in the Dragons Teeth Mountains. Here he slumbers, occasionally waking to his beautiful vista over the valley. A group of gold kobolds have found their way to the rear of the cave, and defend the hidden passage south viciously against any who would threaten their master. The dragon tolerates the kobolds as many are accustomed to doing, and has attempted to put them on the path of righteousness. 13. The Cloaker Cavern - A pair of cloakers emerged from the underdark after escaping their bonds from the Drow. One is missing, and the other seeks it out. The fearsome creature has nested in a cavern and has been feeding on stirges, being unfamiliar with this region. 14. Temple to Zuggtmoy - The twisted Formian known only as the Colossus of Pestilence has set of a temple to its twisted master, the demon lord Zuggtmoy.
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