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Lands of Deepearth	-	-	-	DSG

Geography: This area of natural caverns is filled with air, but
the only entrance and exit are completely water-choked. The subterranean
river flows into the enclosed caverns from the cave on
the south shore of the great lake on the surface. The water flows
through a tunnel with a high ceiling for many miles, meandering
along at a flow rate of 3 to 4. At the point where the side tunnel
joins the river, just upstream from Area 5, the river widens and
slows. A wide sandy beach allows easy beaching of boats.
Ahead, the river continues placidly along.

One mile before reaching Area 5, the water picks up speed and
tumbles along as a rapids. Abruptly the current advances to cascade
ievel and pours through a hole just wide enough for the
water. Since there is no airspace, boats capsize and fragile
appendages such as masts and tillers are usually (80% chance)
swept away. After two rounds, the river empties into a quiet pool
in a vast cavern.

This entry cavern connects to eight other caves, each less than
a mile long. The connections between caves pass through tunnels
less than two feet in diameter. All of these caves are of natural
origin.

The river meanders through the main cave, but at the far end
plunges through a water-filled opening. The river continues this
way for 50 feet before the tunnel opens slightly. It flows along less
than one foot from the ceiling for about six miles before plunging
over a long waterfall (see Area 14).

Denizens: Several bands of intelligent creatures dwell among
these caverns. The most pathetic is a band of humans--the pitiful
castaways of a dozen previous expeditions. Their boats were
wrecked before entering the cavern, and they elected to remain
rather than attempt to float out the far end. Several individuals
have attempted to escape that way, always with the promise to
return if safe passage was found. Of course, none returned.
These humans, numbering about 20, are mostly men. They
live off the few fungi plants in the adjacent caverns, and an occasional
fish. (Some of these fungi glow with a greenish phosphorescence
and serve as feeble light sources.) They have a ragged
collection of weapons among them. Most of them are quite mad
and, although relatively harmless unless threatened, the very
appearance of the gibbering, drooling pack of castaways is
cause for concern. The humans represent all varieties of character
classes. Their experience levels should be tailored to balance
your PCs.

The dreaded nemesis of the humans is the other intelligent
race represented in the caverns: a small outpost of kuo-toa.
These fish-men are not trapped in the area since they can freely
travel underwater. The band in the cave contains 6d6 kua-toa.
Their purpose is to guard the chute where the river leaves the
cavern, prevent unwelcome visitors from journeying downstream,
and carry warning if a force is too large to stop.

About once a month, the kuo-toa sweep through the caverns in
search of food or slaves. Any humans captured are bound and
sent downstream with a heavy escort. Many do not survive the
trip. Often one of the kuo-toa assigned to the lonely outpost goes
insane and wanders off into the caves alone.

Unintelligent denizens include a variety of fish and an assortment
of hapless mammals. Rats are common, and beavers, weasels,
and rabbits are all in evidence. Occasionally a freshwater
scrag follows the stream into the cavern. A deep pool is located at
a riverside spring about halfway through the cavern. This is the
lair of a nereid.

Resources: The foaming water that passes through the
caverns assures a steady supply of fresh air. Plant food is limited
to a few varieties of fungi, but fish are plentiful for those with nets,
and occasionally animals are swept down the river as well.
Many valuables line the river bottom here, spilled from boats
that capsized before entering the cavern. These include a large
number of coins and all sorts of mundane armor and weaponry. A
character searching the river bottom has a 1% chance per hour
of discovering one of the following items: plate mail +2, shield
+2, shield +3, longsword + 1, or spear +3.

Unique Features: The kuo-toa have attempted to block off the
downstream end of the tunnel with a large net. The net stretches
across the surface of the river, but stops several feet short of the
bottom. The men-fish have excavated a rather involved series of
rooms for their outpost, including three vertical levels, secret
doors, and an elaborate food-storage chamber.