The Recently Breached Domain of the Cavern Elves (#28/30; #179/365)
In the aftermath of the Grand Rebellion, when the forces of Prince Viridel Kerithrion abandoned their surface bolt-hole for the caverns deep beneath Titan, three types of Elves were spawned in these wars of kindred. The Dark Elves founded the city of Tiranduil Kelthas and have dwelt there ever since, as well as establishing colonies elsewhere. The Black Elves took one look at the Dark Elves' descent into demon-worshipping depravity and fled back to the surface, become nomadic traders and mercenaries. And last were the Cavern Elves, who fled deeper underground, to an isolated cave where they established their own settlement of Karvakon.
Karvakon became cut off from the rest of both the Down Below and the surface world probably around the time of the Splitting of the Lands, and the Cavern Elves lived strange isolated lives worshipping the forgotten deity Vacavon. And so a millenia passed, until a revolutionary called Grondel summoned a planar-travelling adventurer, whose presence reminded the Elves that there was a world outside. Exploring the outer limits of the tunnels around Karvakon they discovered a new cave, opened by rockfall, leading to the rest of the Down Below!
In the aftermath of the Grand Rebellion, when the forces of Prince Viridel Kerithrion abandoned their surface bolt-hole for the caverns deep beneath Titan, three types of Elves were spawned in these wars of kindred. The Dark Elves founded the city of Tiranduil Kelthas and have dwelt there ever since, as well as establishing colonies elsewhere. The Black Elves took one look at the Dark Elves' descent into demon-worshipping depravity and fled back to the surface, become nomadic traders and mercenaries. And last were the Cavern Elves, who fled deeper underground, to an isolated cave where they established their own settlement of Karvakon.
Karvakon became cut off from the rest of both the Down Below and the surface world probably around the time of the Splitting of the Lands, and the Cavern Elves lived strange isolated lives worshipping the forgotten deity Vacavon. And so a millenia passed, until a revolutionary called Grondel summoned a planar-travelling adventurer, whose presence reminded the Elves that there was a world outside. Exploring the outer limits of the tunnels around Karvakon they discovered a new cave, opened by rockfall, leading to the rest of the Down Below!
Now, slowly and cautiously, the Cavern Elves are exploring the lands around them, and taking that knowledge back to Karvakon for the priests to compile in the great archives. Easily identifiable by their white skin, long white hair tied into top-knots, and black saucer-shaped eyes, these Elves, armed with spears and bows, wander the Down Below in small groups of 1-3 adventurers, observing all. They ignore the Dark Elves, for the secret records kept by the priests of Vacavon reminded them of the Darkside's treachery. But, weirdly, they have fallen in with the Brain Slayers, who are fascinated by these isolated Elves, their forgotten deity, and what other secrets they may have stashed away in their temples and libraries!
The Barbarian Tribes of the Fungal Forest (#29/30; #180/365)
On the eastern shores of the Sunless Sea, lies the sprawling Fungal Forest, a tangled series of caverns and tunnels completely overgrown with gigantic fungi and certain darkness-tolerant plants. Among the trunks and boughs of enormous toadstools, barbarian tribes of painted Troglodytes fight for primacy; currently in the ascendancy are followers of Scratta Many-Legged. Their main encampment is based around a crude shrine to the Centipede God, and infested with SKOLOTAURS who feast on the sacrificial victims brought to them by their Troglodyte devotees.
The Fungal Forest is split in two by the N'ung River, a slow, murky water way whose headwaters remain uncharted. Partly this is due to the afore-mentioned warlike tribes raiding all boats who raft this way, and partly due to some of the horrors that may found dwelling in the depths of the river or prowling its banks.
A new menace, whose hideout is a mysterious Brain Slayer ruin dating to far older times, are GLEFF outcasts who have migrated through the Down Below from further east. While some Gleff do trade with adventurous merchants who head this way, others follow a renegade Dark Elf called Tselion Garathrim, known locally as "The Shadow", who has a nasty habit of taking the heads of his victims and staking them on poles on the limits of his domain. The Dark Elves of Rokyliarc have offered a decent bounty for his capture, dead or alive.
The Iron Mines of the Dark Goblins (#30/30; #181/365)
There is a small colony of Dark Goblins here in the Down Below, running an iron mine in the caves overlooking the Stinking Delta, and then trading the ingots onwards to the Palace of the Skull, the N'yadach Wolf Kingdom, and others. The Dark Goblins themselves are not particularly imposing compared to some of the neighbouring denizens, but the wealth the mine generates allows them to hire decent mercenary guards from the city of Grx and closer to the surface.
One of the reasons for the success of this venture, and why it hasn't dissolved into the usual mess of Goblin tribal squabbling, is the Mine Overseer, Venktesh of Vogon (fat, intellectual), who is secretly both a Pangarian Technomancer and a member of the Dust Town Guild of Warsmiths. Venktesh makes sure the mines run smoothly, sells the poorer quality iron here in the Down Below, and ships the best material up-surface, for his colleague and Guildmaster Tun-Sha to redistribute.
The Caarth, Dark Elves and even the Brain Slayers suspect something is going on, but have so far failed to discover the shipping route (actually a vent in the cavern ceiling above the Sunless Sea, accessible via modified Pangarian flyer to a series of sinkholes and quicksand pits in the trackless depths of the Desert of Skulls). Unfortunately, it looks like the seam may be about to run dry of ore, based on Venktesh's current projections, and he is getting the miners ready for a quick exit!
No comments:
Post a Comment