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Lands of Deepearth	-	-	-	DSG

Geography: Unlike the series of caverns to the north, this
region is made up of several very large limestone caves that are
connected by narrower passages. Four caverns, ranging in
length from 1d6 miles, run the length of the area, along with a
number of side passages. Each of these large caverns has a ceiling
that ranges up to 100 feet high in places. Likewise, each
cavern has a few locations where it is 80 or 90 feet wide.
As in Area 3, these are living caves. Many of the cave formations
common to limestone caves can be found in great abundance
among these caverns. In fact, the presence of stalactites,
stalagmites, and draperies is so overwhelming in the huge central
cavern that the overall appearance is similar to an ornately
decorated cathedral.

To the west, a narrow tunnel gradually rises to the level of the
surface. A major process of excavation in the forgotten past
drilled a connecting tunnel to a vast dungeon below the city on
the surface. This dungeon is a vast, many-leveled affair, and only
one route-concealed by a secret door-provides access to
Deepearth.

One of the side passages off the central cavern is pierced by a
sinkhole from the surface. This hole plunges 400 feet to the floor
of the cavern, and is used as an escape route by a group of bandits
living in the forest on the surface. This side cavern is partially
closed off from the main cave by the rubble of a cave-in; characters
only notice the passage if they successfully discover a secret
door. A few hours of excavation clears a path large enough to
allow humans to pass.

The water flowing through these caverns is clean and cold.
Although a few still, deep pools are scattered about, most of the
water flows down shallow and narrow stream beds. The streams
tend to be about five feet wide and one foot deep.

Denizens: The denizens of this area depend less upon access
to the surface than do the residents of Area 3. Only the proliferation
of all types of bats indicates that the connection exists.
An isolated pocket of drow have established a lair in one of the
side caverns. They are an evil and suspicious bunch, even by
drow standards, and react hostilely to any intrusion. They are
well-schooled in the tactics of underground combat, and know
every passageway and hiding place in their area. The band numbers
about 25 fighters and an equal number of noncombatants.
Because they are so far removed from their homeland, these
drow have none of the potent magical items usually possessed
by their kind. They are very poor, and hold little to interest a thief
from the surface world.

The ceiling of the central cathedral chamber is liberally lined
with piercers. These nasty creatures will take any opportunity to
drop on and pierce unsuspecting explorers. The drow have
developed a faint trail leading around the outer rim of this cavern
to avoid the piercers. The trail is not apparent unless actively
sought.

A number of jellies and oozes survive in this area also, mainly
on the leavings of the other denizens. Although a few rats are
sometimes encountered, those pervasive rodents are not nearly
as common here as might be expected. In the tunnel leading to
the city, however, rats, giant rats, and even wererats may well be
encountered. An assortment of otyugh and neo-otyugh also perform
scavenging duties.

A 12 Hit Dice hydra suffered the misfortune some years back of
falling down the sinkhole. Surviving the fall, the beast forced its
way into the central cavern area, and has somehow managed to
survive. (It was presumably the passage of this monster that
caused the cave-in near the sinkhole.) Constantly hungry, and
nearly berserk with frustration, the hydra presents a real threat to
characters caught in this area.

Resources: One of the side caverns in the area leads to a
small cul-de-sac that contains a vein of shiny stones. A character
stumbling into this region can gather a large number of the rough
and uncut stones. A character with jewelry proficiency can identify
the rocks as diamonds.

More mundane resources, such as air and water are here in
plentiful supply. Sources of food include the usual subterranean
plants, but there is not enough food for all of the inhabitants to eat
well. The drow manage by stockpiling as much as they can, while
the other creatures subsist off each other. The hydra, for example,
eats scavengers and anything else it can catch, but is slowly
starving to death.

Unique Features: The cavern occupied by the drow is protected
by an elaborate series of traps and alarms. The only
approach is through a 500-foot-long tunnel that is less than 10
feet wide along its entire length. At various points along its length
the drow have placed pit traps, precariously balanced blocks of
stone that fall on trespassers who trip camouflaged releases (6d6
damage), batches of shriekers, and an illusionary dead end to the
tunnel. The last 100 feet of the tunnel climb steeply, and the drow
have pots of oil ready to pour down upon intruders. Several
niches for archers have been prepared so that defenders can
shower enemies with arrows from positions of relative security.
In a corner of one of the small side caverns, a pool of thick mud
bubbles and gurgles. Heated geothermally, the mud is very
warm, but not dangerously hot. It contains significant quantities
of gold dust, brought by ancient forces of erosion. While not visible
in the liquid mud, the gold becomes quite apparent if the mud
is dried and the dust blown away. A character who is coated with
the mud, which then dries and crumbles off, collects about 20 gp
worth of gold. The whole mud pool contains more than 10,000 gp
worth of gold, but it would take a major commitment of time and
effort to excavate and dry the entire pool. The mud pool is about
20 feet wide and five feet deep.