Underoerth
Underoerth | |
Government: | City-states, each with different government (autocracy, magocracy, matriarchy, monarchy, theocracy, and so on) |
---|---|
Capital: | None |
Resources: | Exports: Armor, exotic goods, magic, weapons |
Population: | Unknown |
Races: | aboleth, cloaker, drow, duergar, illithid, quaggoth, svirfneblin |
Alignments: | Typically nuetral or evil |
Religions: | Varies, usually racial pantheon |
The Underoerth (also seen as UnderOerth or Under-Oerth) or the DeepOerth[1] is a literal underworld to the surface of the Oerth. It is a vast subterranean network of interconnected caverns and tunnels stretching beneath entire continents. In some other realms, it is known as the underdark.
The Underoerth is a strange alien landscape populated by bizarre creatures and ancient races, nearly all of whom are hostile to surface-dwelling life. The Underoerth is featured prominently in the World of Greyhawk (where it was first introduced).
Ecology[edit]
There is no light except for occasional patches of fluorescent fungus; most Underoerth inhabitants either have highly developed senses other than sight or have developed infravision (before the third edition of the game rules).
Food can be extremely difficult to find, and much of the natural vegetation is poisonous.
The Underoerth is permeated by a magical energy or radiation which is used as a source of energy by the native plant life but which interferes with scrying and teleportation spells. It is known to be caused by the decay of Tumkeoite into Lacofcite. In the Forgotten Realms setting (the "underdark") the drow call this radiation faerzress.[2]
In the Vault of the Drow (Erelhei-Cinlu), natural radiation is given off by rock formations in the ceiling — small pockets of unique minerals and a huge mass of tumkeoite, a heavy and unstable magnetic metal that slowly decays with exposure to air. The formations transform into lacofcite, a dense, crumbling ore that absorbs certain wavelengths of light energy and gives off a lurid glow. The result is an effect almost like a moon and starry sky in the rocky upper reaches of the Vault, and it interferes with teleportation. Drow who live in the Vault prize the fact that surface raiders cannot teleport directly into their cities and out again (without incredibly high risk of horrible accidents). Furthermore, all sources of illumination exposed to the emanations give off only a muted pale glow that is much preferred by the sensitive eyes of the drow. [2]
Inhabitants[edit]
The Underoerth is extremely dangerous, especially to those not native to it. There are the usual dangers associated with caverns: claustrophobia, occasional poor air circulation, and getting lost.
In addition to those dangers, the Underoerth is also home to many predators and a wide array of races, most of which are hostile to other races. These races include:
- Aboleths
- Beholders
- Cloakers
- Derro
- Drow (dark elves)
- Duergar (gray dwarves)
- Dwarves
- Illithids (Mind Flayers)
- Kuo-toa
- Jermlaine
- Lerara (Suel humans)
- Pech
- Svirfneblin (deep gnomes)
- True ghouls
Personalities[edit]
- Amalriv, male drow, chief tax collector of Erelhei-Cinlu.
- Belgos, vampire.
- Eclavdra of House Eilserv, drow priestess of Lolth (formerly of the Elder Elemental God, as well as Graz'zt).
- Edralve of House Eilserv, drow priestess of Lolth and former Slave Lord.
- Edylyn, an emissary from Erelhei-Cinlu currently on the plane of Acheron.
- Jalvan, male drow agitator in Erelhei-Cinlu.
- Llemual, half-drow artist and mage, possibly now the lich-lord ruler of an Underdark kingdom.
- Ool Eurts, drow sorcerer and artist.
- Pruuma the She-Bear, powerful female bugbear of Erelhei-Cinlu.
Features and settlements[edit]
Crystalmist Mountains[edit]
- Mirith Glarnon (in Sterich)
Hellfurnaces[edit]
- Bhal-Hamatugn
- Dra-Mur-Shou
- Erelhei-Cinlu
- Lost Tunnel of Slerotin
- The Sunless Sea
- The White Kingdom
- Yvoth-Lened
Central Flanaess[edit]
Old Aerdy[edit]
- The Calling Mines
- The Cauldron of Night
Empire of Iuz[edit]
- Darkpool
- Rift Canyon (probable connections)
Western Oerik[edit]
Densac Gulf[edit]
Specific prestige classes[edit]
- Prime Underdark Guide (image)
- Drow Judicator
External links[edit]
Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.
- Underoerth project on Canonfire!
References[edit]
Notes[edit]
Citations[edit]
- ↑ "Kingdom of the Ghouls". Dungeon #70 (Sep/Oct 1998), p.49
- ↑ a b Marmell, Ari, Anthony Pryor, Robert J. Schwalb, Greg A. Vaughan. Drow of the Underdark. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2007, p.154
Bibliography[edit]
- Baur, Wolfgang. "The Dragon's Bestiary: Monsters of the Underdark." Dragon #227. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1996.
- ———. "Kingdom of the Ghouls." Dungeon #70. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998.
- Bulmahn, Jason, James Jacobs, and Erik Mona. Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2007.
- Broadhurst, Creighton, and Paul Looby. "Mysterious Places: Mines of Father Eye." Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online: [1]
- Cordell, Bruce R., Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick. Underdark. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
- Gygax, Gary. Descent into the Depths of the Earth. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1978.
- ———. Vault of the Drow. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1978.
- ———. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
- Gygax, Gary, David C. Sutherland III, David Cook, and Jeff Grubb. Queen of the Spiders. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1986.
- Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K. Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- Holian, Gary, and Denis Tetreault. "Irongate: City of Stairs." Dragon #351. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, January 2007.
- Jacobs, James. "Lord of the Scarlet Tide." Dungeon #85. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
- Kestral, Gwendolyn F.M. Fane of the Drow. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005.
- Marmell, Ari, Anthony Pryor, Robert J. Schwalb, Greg A. Vaughan. Drow of the Underdark. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2007.
- Mobley, Blake, and Timothy B. Brown. Greyhawk Ruins. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1990.
- Moore, Roger E.. "Legacies of the Suel Imperium." Dragon #241. Renton, WA: TSR, 1997.
- Niles, Douglas. Dungeoneer's Survival Guide. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1986.
- Niles, Douglas, and Carl Sargent. The City of Greyhawk. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1989.
- Noonan, David. "Zenith Trajectory." Dungeon #102. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2003.
- Perry, Chris. "Fungi of the Underdark." Dragon #211. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1994.
- Pramas, Chris. "Underground Scenarios." Dragon #294. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
- Pryor, Anthony. Rary the Traitor. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
- Sargent, Carl. From the Ashes. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
- ———. Ivid the Undying. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, unpublished. Available online: [2]
- ———. Iuz the Evil. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
- ———. Monster Mythology. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
- ———. Night Below: An Underdark Campaign. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1995.
- Schneider, F. Wesley and James Lafond Sutter. "The Lightless Depths." Dungeon #144. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, March 2007.
- Weining, Frederick. "The Vault of the Drow." Dragon #298. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2002.
- Williams, Skip. Deep Horizon. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Index is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, and his work as continued and updated by Eric Johnson, Richard DiIoia, Jason "PupickDad" Jacobson, a French fan group, and numerous other fans over the years. The wiki page for the EGI has a list of sources, full product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
---|---|---|---|---|
Black Lake (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Lake, | Dungeon magazine #070 | 52, 63 |
Cloaker Rift (Underoerth) | Place | Dungeon magazine #070 | 49, 61, 62, 67, 68 | |
Cloaker Rift (Underoerth) | Place | Dungeon magazine #072 | 84 | |
Cynidicea (Underoerth) | Settlement | Settlement, | Return to the Keep on the Borderland | 18 |
Deepearth {Deepoerth} | Place | The City of Greyhawk: Folks, Feuds and Factions | 52 | |
Deepearth {Deepoerth} | Place | Dungeon magazine #070 | 49, 51 | |
FOR02 Drow of the Underdark | Adventure | DMGR4 - Monster Mythology | 60 | |
Fungus Lake {Fungal} (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Lake, | Dungeon magazine #085 | 47, 48, 49, 50 |
Ghostwood (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Woodland, | Dungeon magazine #070 | 58, 59 |
Grand Cascade (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Waterway, | Dungeon magazine #070 | 63 |
Grand Cascade (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Waterway, | Dungeon magazine #072 | 84 |
Kilenor (Underoerth) | Settlement | Settlement, | Dungeon magazine #070 | 49, 51, 59, 64, 67, 68, 78 |
Kilenor (Underoerth) | Settlement | Settlement, | Dungeon magazine #072 | 84 |
Laetan River (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | River, | Dungeon magazine #070 | 55, 58, 63, 67 |
Laetan River (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | River, | Dungeon magazine #072 | 84 |
Nerull, Shrine of (Underoerth) | Building | Shrine, | Dungeon magazine #070 | 65 |
Pitchy Flow (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Waterway, | D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth | 17 |
Pitchy Flow (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Waterway, | D3 Vault of the Drow (adventure) | 8, 15, 18, 22 |
Pitchy Flow (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Waterway, | Dragon magazine #298 | 73, 74 |
Pitchy Flow (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Waterway, | GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders | 65, 73, 81, 84, 88, 125 |
River of the Dead (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Waterway, | Dungeon magazine #085 | 49, 58 |
Scarlet Lake (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Lake, | Dungeon magazine #085 | 40 |
Sunless Sea (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Sea, | D1 Descent into the Depths of the Earth | IBC |
Sunless Sea (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Sea, | D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth | 14 |
Sunless Sea (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Sea, | D2 Shrine of the Kuo-Toa | IBC |
Sunless Sea (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Sea, | D3 Vault of the Drow (adventure) | IBC, 22 |
Sunless Sea (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Sea, | Dragon magazine #209 | 13 |
Sunless Sea (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Sea, | Dragon magazine #285 | 66 |
Sunless Sea (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Sea, | Dungeon magazine #070 | 51, 52, 62, 65, 66, 72 |
Sunless Sea (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | Sea, | GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders | 88 |
Svartjet River (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | River, | D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth | 14, 17 |
Svartjet River (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | River, | D2 Shrine of the Kuo-Toa | 6 |
Svartjet River (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | River, | D3 Vault of the Drow (adventure) | 22 |
Svartjet River (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | River, | Dragon magazine #298 | 71 |
Svartjet River (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | River, | Dungeon magazine #070 | 62 |
Svartjet River (Underoerth) | Geographical feature | River, | GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders | 62, 64, 88, 125 |
Tharizdun, Temple of (Underoerth) | Building | Temple, | Dungeon magazine #085 | 43, 44 |
Underdark | Region | Reference | SEE Underoerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm} | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #11 | 14,16,21,22,62,69 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #12 | 9 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #14 | 37,38,45 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #19 | 42 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #22 | 12,46,56 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #23 | 35 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #26 | 13 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #27 | 24 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #30 | 5 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #31 | 7 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #32 | 11,47 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Player's Guide to Greyhawk | 7, 39 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Return of the Eight | 60 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, D&D 3.0e | 41, 50, 96 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Return to White Plume Mountain | 48, 49 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Book Two | 10 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Spelljammer Boxed Set: Lorebook of the Void | 90 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Slavers, AD&D 2e | 27, 121, 123 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Sea of Death | 256 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | The Adventure Begins | 38 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | LT3 The Doomgrinder | 2, 14, 33 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | The Scarlet Brotherhood | 25, 54 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | LT1 The Star Cairns | 29 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | WGA3 Flames of the Falcon | 47, 59, 60 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | WGA4 Vecna Lives! | 39 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins | 14 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | WGR3 Rary the Traitor | 17, 25, 29, 34, 35, 40, 42, 45 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | WGR5 Iuz the Evil | 50, 91 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Against The Giants: The Liberation of Geoff | 2, 23, 42 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Bastion of Faith | 10 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | The City of Greyhawk: Adventure Cards | 3 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | The City of Greyhawk: Folks, Feuds and Factions | 52 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | The City of Greyhawk: Gem of the Flanaess | 27, 30 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | LT2 Crypt of Lyzandred the Mad | 46 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #208 | 54 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #241 | 39, 43 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #276 | 84 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #285 | 72 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #293 | 90 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #294 | 96 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #298 | 71, 73, 85 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #351 | 43, 45 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #AN3 | 100 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dragon magazine #AN4 | 70 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dungeon magazine #070 | 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 58, 59, 61, 62, 67, 76, 78 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dungeon magazine #085 | 35, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 52 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Dungeon magazine #089 | 47 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess | 7 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | From the Ashes: Campaign Book | 25, 27 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e | 14, 207, 216 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | IQ3 Warriors of the Gray Queen | 5 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Ivid the Undying | 73, 100, 139 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | TSR Jam 1999 | 27 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e | 40, 102 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 18, 143, 170 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Living Greyhawk Journal #2 | 24 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #02 | 2 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #04 | 5 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #05 | 14 | |
UnderOerth {Underdark, Sunless Realm, Under-Oerth} | Region | Oerth Journal #06 | 11 |