Deep beneath the surface of Uhl lies a sprawling, labyrinthine world known as the Underland—a realm of perpetual darkness illuminated only by the phosphorescent glow of bizarre fungi, the shimmer of precious gems embedded in ancient stone, and the flickering torches of its diverse inhabitants. This vast network of caverns, tunnels, abyssal ravines, and underground oceans stretches endlessly beneath the Four Fiefdoms and Freelands above, a shadowy reflection of the surface world that follows its own rules and rhythms.
The true extent of the Underland remains unmapped and unknown to surface dwellers, its deepest reaches unexplored even by those who call it home. What begins as simple cave systems near the surface gradually expands into cathedral-like caverns capable of housing entire cities, connected by winding tunnels that serve as trade routes and battlegrounds alike.
Regions and Geography
The Underland is not a uniform realm but rather a patchwork of distinct territories and biomes. Near the surface lie the Upper Caverns, relatively hospitable zones where some commerce between underground dwellers and surface folk occurs. Deeper down, the Grand Caverns house massive settlements like dwarven fortresses, their walls and columns masterfully carved from living stone.
The Luminous Reaches feature vast fields of glowing fungi and crystalline formations that provide natural light, sustaining unique ecosystems of subterranean flora and fauna. In stark contrast, the Lightless Depths plunge into absolute darkness where only the most adapted creatures can navigate and survive.
Rushing underground rivers carve paths through stone, forming the River Warrens—treacherous but vital waterways for travel and commerce. These eventually feed into the Abyssal Seas, vast underground oceans where strange, eyeless creatures swim through black waters beneath stone skies.
The most feared regions are the Charred Hollows, where volcanic activity brings searing heat and toxic gases into the otherwise cool Underland environment, creating hellish landscapes dominated by bubbling magma pools and obsidian formations.
Inhabitants and Politics
The Underland is home to a complex mixture of civilizations and creatures, each carving out territory in this harsh environment. The goblin species—gaugaths, haureks, imps, and grekkels—are perhaps the most numerous, their fortifications like Greth and Gugal serving as bases for raids against rival underground factions and the surface world.
Dwarven fortresses stand as bastions of order and craftsmanship, their mountain halls glittering with precious metals and intricate stonework. These strongholds protect ancient dwarven traditions and serve as centers for trade, with the clans' exceptional weapons, armor, and jewelry exchanged for resources unavailable below ground.
The Mycenians, fungal-folk who cultivate vast mushroom forests, maintain neutrality in most conflicts, trading their unique medicines and foodstuffs with all who respect their territories. Gnomish enclaves focus on innovation and tinkering, their underground workshops producing ingenious mechanisms powered by steam, crystal, or more arcane forces.
Darker entities lurk in the deepest reaches—ancient creatures awakened from primordial slumber, cults devoted to forgotten deities, and aberrations that defy classification. Rumors persist of entire hidden civilizations dwelling in isolation for millennia, developing strange customs and technologies unknown to the rest of Uhl.
Culture and Economy
Life in the Underland revolves around necessary adaptations to the harsh environment. Light is a precious commodity, with various races developing different solutions—from the dwarves' expertly crafted ever-burning lanterns to the natural bioluminescence harnessed by other species.
Trade routes snake through the more established tunnels, with merchants braving dangerous passages to exchange goods between settlements. Rare fungi, precious metals, gemstones, and crafted goods form the backbone of the Underland economy, supplemented by unique services like dwarven smithing or gnomish engineering.
Festivals and rituals often center around geological events—the discovery of new crystal formations, the shifting of underground waterways, or the rare moments when surface phenomena like earthquakes or eclipses can be felt below ground. Many Underland dwellers mark time not by the sun and moon but by the rhythm of geyser eruptions or the migration patterns of cave creatures.
Relation to the Surface
The relationship between the Underland and the surface world remains complex and often fraught. While some established trade posts exist where safe commerce occurs, many surface dwellers know the Underland primarily through goblin raids or tales of horror. The King's Patrol maintains vigilant watch on known access points, particularly around goblin strongholds like Greth and Gugal.
Yet the Underland's vastness ensures it can never be truly contained or controlled from above. New tunnels constantly form through natural processes or deliberate excavation, allowing raiders to emerge unexpectedly within settled lands. Conversely, adventurous or desperate surface dwellers sometimes descend into the darkness seeking fortune, knowledge, or escape from troubles above.
Some whisper that the deepest regions of the Underland connect to even stranger realms—elemental planes, the domains of ancient entities, or paths to other worlds entirely. Whether truth or legend, such rumors ensure the Underland remains a place of mystery and danger in the minds of all who dwell in Uhl, a dark mirror to the world above whose depths may never be fully fathomed.