Underhollow

The Underhollow is the largest network of underground caves, caverns, chasms, and other geographical formations on all of Arcturus. It is so massive and farspreading, that it is considered its own 'world' by many who live above in and reside within. Within the Underhollow exist and roam many creatures and races.

## Regions

### Varclera

#### Blackguard Underfoot

##### Geography

The geography of the Blackguard Underfoot is relatively unbarren, with the majority of the region being comprised of simple rock caverns and caves. There are several large lakes and pools of water through the region, though they are not notable enough to have official names. However, the Blackguard Underfoot does have several large cave systems that go far from the central region, such as the Finial Caves. The most notable areas in the main area of the region are the Cragplains -- which are uneven rock plains -- and Flattop, which is a strangely flat plain near the ceiling of the Underfoot. The Cragplains is also where the surface entrance is located. There is also a chasm named Blackcrack. The aforementioned cave systems lead to several notable locations, such as crystal caves like the Jagged Den. The Lucid Pass, which is an alternate route into the Underden, also has several crystal caverns.

The Blackguard Underfoot is bordered by the Underden and Intracurta, and are connected by caverns. However, for Intracurta, the cavern connecting the two Underhollow regions is full of water, and thus is difficult to traverse.

##### Society

Fitting to its lack of diverse geography and barren openness, the Blackguard Underfoot has only one notable society, which is located in the far back of the Finial Caves. This place is the City of Venaldur, which is mostly populated with surface dwellers, molefolk, and Umbau.

#### The Caligo

##### Geography

The Caligo is a relatively diverse and large region in the Underhollow. There are several significant areas in this region, such as the Caligo Vale, Steepdown, and the Cleft Walls. The Caligo Vale is a well-sized valley of rocks and caves. Steepdown is the second highest point in the Caligo, and has a large subterranean jungle at the peak. The Cleft Walls is one of the edges of the region that are relatively vertical and easy to climb. Several shallow caves can be found along this area. The Caligo also has several large bodies of water -- the largest being the Darkshard Sea. The Caligo Lakes and the Aegis Drink are also notable. There is also a large pool of slime known as the Viscous Tarn. Besides the jungle in Steepdown, there are various other foliage found in the Caligo. The most notable, however, are the Fungal Thicket, the Glowbright Forest, the Lost Garden of Ufranc, and the Ezesek Jungle. The first two are fungal forests. The Lost Garden of Ufranc is a lush cavern full of lost plants, fruits, and creatures. It is barely visited, as the entrance is difficult to locate. The Ezesek is a jungle made of normal foliage. To the northwest of the Caligo is a small system of caves known as the Overbrim Caves; the entrance to this system is submerged in a lake, and thus is seldom trekked.

The Caligo borders two other regions in the Underhollow: the Mezzogrounds and the Great Buried Desert. The Mezzogrounds and the Caligo are separated by a wide, dangerous pass known as Rugged Crossing. The path from the Caligo to the Underparch, however, is less dangerous. The surface entrance in the Caligo is located southwest of the Aegis Drink.

##### Society

The Caligo may have a large number of small tribes and communities scattered across its open spaces, caverns, and caves, but there are three communities that are especially significant. The most prominent is the City of Sunderdeep, which is one of the most populous Underhollow cities. Sunderdeep is populated mainly by dwarves, humans, civilized underdwellers, molefolk, the Umbau, and the Seroshi. It borders the Darkshard Sea, and thus has a readily available supply of drinkable water. The City of Ridgehold is mainly populated by surface-dwelling races, dwarves, and molefolk. It is relatively close to the Aegis Throat, and thus why its population is the way it is. The City of Belitheas was once a Dwarven city, but now has one of the most diverse populations in all of the Unerhollow.

#### Cortep Caverns

##### Geography

The Cortep Caverns is a relatively small region of the Underhollow. There is little particularly of interest in this region, besides a large lake of gelatinous slime, an area of Underhollow foliage known as the Cortep Underbush, and several small cave systems stemming out of the region -- notably the Cortep Labrynth and the Alrod Catacombs. The Caverns, however, are significant, as they are connected to the deep cave system that runs under the Cortep Strait, known as the Cortep Cavity. The Cortep Caverns is relatively close to the surface towards the north, but progressively lowers to below the sea bed at its southern boundaries.

##### Society

There is no permanent settlements within the Cortep Caverns that are worth noting. Besides travelers making camps, the only settlements in the region are small Underdweller tribes. Due to this lack of civilization, the Caverns are severely undergoverned and are frequented by outlaws, smugglers, and other types of criminals.

#### Cortep Cavity

The Cortep Cavity is a cave system that runs underneath the sea bed of the Cortep Strait, and connects the Mezzogrounds with the Cortep Caverns. It is frequented by a large variety of people for differing reasons -- smugglers, denizens of the Underhollow, outlaws, adventurers, and so on. Nothing is of particular interest within the Cavity, besides several dead-end offshoots and a small cavern located towards the north of the system.

#### Excelsior Grotto

##### Geography

This region is located underneath Mount Excelsior on the surface, and is its namesake. The landscape of the Excelsior Grotto is made up of a central rise in the ground height, with the bowl edges of the region being on average deeper. Toward the middle of the region are three major surface entry caves, all of which are on Mount Excelsior. On this raised rock plain is also a large underground lake, named Lake Excelsior. This source of water is surprisingly clean and refreshing to those who drink quench their thirsts at its basin. The lake also has a small patch of underbrush, where several isolated Stroddal villages are located. To the northeast of the region is a massive chasm known to the locals as the Rift of the Punished, or Punishment Rift. This seemingly endless drop was historically used to execute criminals and enemies of Underhollow denizens by defenestrating them within. Besides the surface, the only other way to enter the Grotto is by passing through the Great Buried Desert.

##### Society

The Grotto's society is somewhat diverse. The notable cities within Excelsior Grotto are Neverbury, Failbreak, Cavacre, and Nevershore. All of these major cities are located within the deepest layer of the Grotto. Neverbury was originally a surface colony in the Underhollow, which evolved into a culturally and racially diverse city-state. The city of Failbreak -- or Falabrakarr -- is a mostly Molefolk city, though it also has a large surface race population, as well. Shroudshore is a regionally significant enclave of the Umbau, and it seldom allows outsiders within its confines. Cavacre was once ancient Dwarven ruins, but the landmark quickly became a city after it became a source of historical information and mining.

#### The Farburrow

##### Geography

The Farburror has three distinct districts within the confines of its region. These are the North, Central, and South Farburrows. The North Farburrow is the most diverse in its landscape. The majority of the North Farburrow is in the two deepest layers of the Underhollow. In one of the deepest depressions in the North Farburrow is a large pool of lava known as the Melting Pit. Though no cities surround this lake of lava, there are various foundries nearby, using its natural molten rock to help craft metal items and objects. The Melting Pit was also historically used as a place of sacrifice for the ancient Underdwellers and Umbau. It is also believed that the Melting Pit was used by the Dwarves. Slightly north of the Melting Pit is another lowest-depth valley where a large amount of Underhollow foliage grows. This area is known as Blindview, due to it usually being pitch black. This location also connects to the Transcontinental cave system known as the Deeprunner Tunnels. At the very north of this district of the Farburrow is a raised rock plain, known as Farhaven. This plain is covered in lush undergrowth and is most easily described as an underground jungle. In the center of the plain is a well-sized source of water known as Farhaven Drink. To the west of the North Farburrow is another raised rock plain, which has several deposits of water scattered across its rocky surface, as well as a patch of bioluminescent foliage known as the Phira Jungles. Toward the lower area of the North Farburrow is a mystical body of water known simply as Dhalgeree. Connecting all of these distinct areas and locations is a middle-depth series of caverns, caves, and open spaces known as Roamers' Slump.

Within the Central Farburrow is a middle-depth location known as the Buffer, which acts as the main crossing area between the North and the Central. The landscape of this area is full of large, jagged rocks and spires reaching to the high cavern ceilings. In the deepest part of the Central district is a large fungal forest known as Dher-Ishe Forest. to the southeast of the Central Farburrow is a small lake named Still Lake, on account of nothing living within its body to cause disruptions.

The South Farburrow, which is a controversial edition to the Farburrow on account of its narrow passage into the Central district, is the Farburrow's southermost district. Like the North district, this district has an outlet to a transcontinental cave system, referred to as Marauder Passage -- named after Marauder Abyss, the ocean it runs underneath. The cavern that the Marauder Passage opens into is a relatively damp and sandy cavern, which has lead some to believe that it may collapse and forever block the passage sometime in the future. The opening to the Marauder Passage is known as Sheapis Outlet. To cross from one side to the other of this district, travelers must pass through the Broken Lowland, which is full of large cracks, shattered rocks, and jagged rocks. This location also frequently experiences tremors, which may pose a threat to those passing through. Within the Broken Lowland is one safe refuge, and this is Green Lake and the underbrush that has expanded from off of its coasts. The lake is named this, as it appears green from all of the algae and fungi that thrive in its waters. The southern part of the South Farburrow is a raised rock plain, and has a large body of water known as the Underbrine. This large underground lake has relatively clean water, and is surrounded on either side by a large, fungal forest -- the Brinesponge Jungles and Birdarth Forest.

##### Society

The North Farburrow is a loosely connected alliance of city-states which function as an underground kingdom. The undisputed capital of the 'Farburrow Kingdom' is the City of Undervale, which is built into the side of the Underhollow's rocky walls. This massive city is one of the most populous in all of the Underhollow, and arguably the trade hub of the entire underground. The other cities and city-states that make up the 'Farburrow Kingdom' are Deepcrest, Havenvein, and Fallborn. Deepcrest and Havenvein are on the shores of Farhaven Drink, whereas Fallborn is also built slightly into the side of the rocky boundaries of the Farburrow. Unlike the others, which all have extremely varied populations due to the frequency of travel in the Farburrow, Havenvein is almost entirely a city of Stroddal. The only other major city in the North Farburrow is New Galor, which is a Molefolk city, but welcomes strangers, eager for trade. In the Central Farburrow, the only major city is Dher-Ishe City, which is another Stroddal city. The city-states of the Central Farburrow are Telis, Coraril, and Homdaral. The city-state of Telis is a massive Stroddal city, and denizens of it are usually untrustworthy of travelers -- especially humans. The City-state of Coraril and Homdaral are both relatively small city-states. Coraril is an Umbau safehaven, but Homdaral is relatively diverse. When cargo caravans cross through the Underhollow, they usually stop within Homdaral. Besides the aforementioned cities, there are small tribes of Stroddal and Underdwellers spread across the Farburrow, and several small villages of Umbau and Molefolk.

#### Great Buried Desert (Underparch)

##### Geography

The Great Buried Desert is a massive underground desert located right under the Parched Sea on the surface. The sand from the surface may have, over a course of thousands of years, slowly fallen, thus culminating this massive sand pit. The Underparch, as it is referred to, is in the center of an extremely deep valley located at the deepest-depth layer of the Underhollow. Various underground worm monsters and other desert creatures flourish in this region.

##### Society

There is almost no society to speak of within the Great Buried Desert, except for the city-state of Berdoral, where a diverse population of races live. This is also a refuge for travelers and smugglers, as they rest and stock up on supplies in this city before or after venturing through the Underparch.