Regions of the Shadowdeep
by Andrew TheisenShadowelf Caverns/Gwaithallin: The largest community of the Shadowdeep, and the home of the most populous race in the underrealms. The shadowelves are (arguably) the race that has lived the longest in the Shadowdeep, and from whom the name is coined.
Location: A little over a mile beneath the surface, in caverns that stretch from the southern parts of Darokin to the central part of Glantri, and from western Darokin to the central reaches of the Canolbarth forest.
Rockhome: The dwarves mainly stay in caverns in the mountainsides or just below, but there are some cave systems that extend down to the levels where contact with the rest of Shadowdeep occurs. One clan of dwarves, known as the Wanderers, is known to travel nomadically throughout the Shadowdeep.
Location: Caverns that extend beneath the kingdom of the dwarves in the Known World. The deepest populated depths are only several hundred feet below the mountainous kingdom, and thus are well above the level of the Shadowelf territories, making contact between the two races very rare.
Falun Caverns: This is a kobold kingdom, built on the remains of an ancient gnomish realm. The kobolds nearly exterminated all the former inhabitants. Now they gradually build their strength, and ally with gnolls from the Gnollheim Hills.
Location: Cavern systems running beneath the Hardanger Mountains and Gnollheim hills, and bordering on the Rockhome caverns.
Underyord: Some survivors of the Falun Cavern massacre retreated further underground and formed a community in a cavern system there. It is a small community, and home to an unusual group of gnomes.
Location: Several hundred feet (1,000+?) directly below the Falun Caverns, in a relatively enclosed cavern system.
Modrigswerg Realms: These dwarvish outcasts are known for their dealings in the dark arcane arts, and are reputed to be largely madmen.
Location: In the caverns beneath Vestland and Ostland, with tunnels extending underneath the ocean and connecting them. They border with Rockhome and the Falun caverns, and conflicts between the three groups are not unknown.
Barimoor: These caverns, discovered and magically modified by an expatriate Alphatian wizard hundreds of years ago, are populated by evil wizards, demonic creatures, and dark assassins, and led by the megalomaniacal and constantly plotting Barimoor himself.
Location: An extensive system of caves and cavern complexes running underneath the Emirates of Ylaruam. They are connected to Cynidicea.
Cynidicea: Once a surface city in the land now known as Ylaruam, the survivors of that realm have since descended into madness. The centre of their realm is a tremendous pyramid that still extends to the surface.
Location: In the western reaches of Ylaruam. Connections to the surface and Barimoor, as well as the Rockhome Caverns and the Orclands caverns.
Broken Lands: Beneath the surface of the Broken Lands is an extensive system of caverns that provides a home to all sorts of humanoids- orcs (three kinds), hobgoblins, goblins, bugbears, gnolls, trolls, ogres, and kobolds, among the most notable.
Location: Directly beneath the Broken Lands, from a few hundred feet to several hundred feet. Connections to the Orclands cavern systems and Gwaithallin.
Orclands: In the Dwarfgate Mountain range are several orcish communities that have defied the attempts of the Darokinian magistrates to destroy. When they are threatened, they simply hide underground and emerge again with the coast is clear.
Location: Directly beneath the Dwarfgate Mountains, caverns extending from the Broken Lands to the Rockhome Caverns (west-east), and tunnel systems beneath Ethengar and Alfheim (north-south). Connections also to the Cynidicean caves.
Glaurant Kingdoms: The legendary kingdom of the immensely powerful and terrifying Glaurants. These strange, alien creatures are a threat to all of the races of the Shadowdeep.
Location: Several thousand feet below the Five Shires. Borders with the southeastern reaches of the Shadowelves' territories (Gwaithallin).
Graakhalia: A strange community of elves and gnolls living together in an uneasy alliance. Next to Gwaithallin, one of the oldest communities of the Shadowdeep. The Graakhalians move around quite a bit in a series of seasonal camps.
Location: In a series of extensive caverns beneath the Great Waste, on the edge of Sind. The Graakhalians have arbitrarily named three distinct levels of caverns.
Urgrik-Graastok: A huge cavern complex in the middle of the Graakhalian systems. It is filled with vegetation, remnants of the once great forest that covered the area now called the Great Waste. Rumoured to be the home the mysterious and deadly Dusanu.
Location: Central Graakhalia, on the (second?) level.
Annwn: The underground home of the fey races.
Location: The court of Gwynn-ap Nudd, king of the fey of Annwn, is located in the Forest of Spiders near Losetrel (shadowelf caverns).