[D&D Series] Underdark – Underground kingdom

Welcome to the underground world of the Faerun continent, where the light has been obscured by deep geological layers, endless caves, stalked by dangerous but equally strange creatures. Make sure you have enough night vision to be alert to every corner, every unexpected turn in the dark, and join Tavern Talk today to learn about a mysterious world called: The Underdark.

As its name suggests, Underdark is a system of giant mazes located underground, far from natural light sources. That’s why the dungeons, caves and even rivers here are covered by endless night. The complexity of its morphology and geographical location also makes it considered completely separate from the surface of the Faerun continent, and has many other names such as the Deep Earth, the Realms Below,… Indeed, if it is not a native underground creature, the Underdark appears with countless natural threats such as dangerous terrain, toxic gas, earthquakes, underground water circuits,… Underdark’s territories are so complicated that they do not really exist. Many are interconnected, so sometimes it is difficult to enter through one road and determine the exit from another. The geology here is even clearly differentiated by depth, forming three main areas with names: The Upperdark, The Middledark and the Lowerdark.

The Upperdark is the top layer and closest to the ground. It can be said that this is the area of ​​interference between the creatures of the two worlds. Here there exist secret passages to dungeons, mineral mines and even trade areas between communities. Natural light still exists, but it mainly comes from organisms such as bioluminescent mold. 8-10 miles further down is the Middle Dark, which is not only more geographically complex but also gathers real civilizations of races such as the Dark Elves, Duergar and Deep Gnome. Therefore, this is a place of fierce competition not only in terms of territory but also political form. Finally, the bottomless abyss of the world that is the Lowerdark is completely shrouded in mystery and danger, especially due to the strong influence of an energy field named Faerzress. In the upper levels, the Faeezress still exists and significantly affects geology and biology, but in the Lowerdark, this ancient power also makes anyone who comes here easily corrupted and corrupted, if not crazy for the rest of their lives. However, there are still closed communities that exist here, most of which have been modified to suit the local environment or alien species, most notably the Mindflayers.

Speaking of creatures, with darkness covering the entire Underdark, if species do not possess superior night vision, they also develop other senses to be able to navigate. Most of them live close to the ground because of their greater abundance of resources, at least compared to the rest underground. In addition to the human races just mentioned above, there also exist strange species such as spiders, kuo-toas, beholders and the Myconid community of higher fungi. Most of these organisms will always be in conflict with each other, but parasitism and symbiosis can still be effective solutions. Even for more knowledgeable species, oppressing and enslaving lower races is very common in the Underdark.

The story of the formation of the Underdark is mentioned from the 4th edition of the game Dungeons & Dragons, but to keep it short, this place was shaped by ancient creatures, as well as the Dark Gods long ago. Through historical dynasties along with various large and small events, underground networks have emerged and become increasingly complex. The most typical event can be mentioned: “Rise of the Drow” when the evil god Lolth officially fell and was exiled from the Elves world. After that, Lolth and her servants found their way down to the Abyss, then expanded their territory in the Underdark when she became the Spider Queen. The descendants of the corrupted Elves became the Dark Elves or Drow, possessing dark skin and superior night vision at the expense of their sensitivity to sunlight. They also became the Great Clans of the underground, building great cities in the Middledark and ruling them through matriarchy and subjugation. However, up to now, Lolth’s influence, although still dominant, is no longer as overwhelming as before, and a number of other gods are worshiped by the Drow in particular and other creatures in the Underdark in general.

Of course, besides the Dark Elves, Underdark still has many other races, as well as many stories to tell about the underground world. But today, we will stop here. If you want to learn more about the creatures and landscapes of the Upper and Middle Dark or the mysteries that lie deep in the Lower Dark, don’t hesitate to comment below. In addition, if you have clicked the channel follow button, prepare a strong luggage and mentality to wait for the next content about the Forgotten Realm universe. Thanks for stopping by Tavern Talk, and see you soon!