The Dangerous Deep

Wandering children all alone
Take heed of the dark unknown
They come at night
To bring a fight
And drag you deep below the stone

Ridiculous, fear-mongering poem as it may be, know that the legend of The Dangerous Deep is true. If the common folk discovered that below their feet is a domain packed with deadly fiends and beasts, there would be mass panic. But you, young adventurer, were made for exploring the terrors below.
The Dangerous Deep has been beneath our feet since the time of the Eternals. If all one’s dastardly deeds are committed away from the sky’s view, how could the Eternals see? Fiends always were missing a brain cell or two. This underground network is the fiends strongest foothold in the mortal world. Few people are daring enough to venture below. Fewer still survive to see the sun again.

Entrances and Exits

Traveling through The Dangerous Deep is not for the faint of heart. But for those who want to slip into a region or city undetected, the winding tunnels and complicated caverns is a daunting alternative. Risking certain death to enter a city is only preferable if entering the city would result in guaranteed death. Although many entrances to The Dangerous Deep are well-guarded, many more are created each year. Each entrance is a new way for fiends and beasts to slip Topside.
Guarding a known entrance is a tireless, thankless job. Life expectancy is low. Kingdoms’ soldiers who are put on Double D guard duty have often done something to anger their leader. Soliders must always strive to please some higher up . . . the life of stratification is agonizing . . . that’s why applying your skills to the Heroic Adventurer’s life is infinitely greater. You answer to nobody but your league. And your league will take care of you, regardless of rank.
Since fiends have a vested interest in keeping new exits a secret, they will often kidnap Folk who are wandering alone, rather than attacking large groups of Folk and risking one or more escaping. Weaker targets are often prime prey for fiends—the stronger fiends usually stay in the Dangerous Deep and command minions to go Topside for prey. Lucky kidnapped Folk are kept as slaves; leaving time for escape or rescue. Others may be used as fodder for dark rituals that require sacrifice.
The Deeper below, the greater risk Folk have at never seeing the sun again.

At AHA Academy, a short trip to the Dangerous Deep is part of the final exam before you’re able to graduate. We won’t send you too Deep, of course. We don’t want our students ending up dead! But if you’re too afraid to venture into the dark below, you are simply not prepared for the life of a Heroic Adventurer!

Propaganda of Legend

After the victory against The Devil’s Storm, fiends who were not driven away to the Austral Wilds escaped to the Dangerous Deep. Common Folk feared a resurgence of fiends on the Western Continent and so to pacify these fears, many leaders began to deny the existence of the Dangerous Deep. Turning the Deep into a living legend may not have been the smartest plan, in terms of risk to Folk, but it was certainly the kindest. Common Folk are able to sleep well at night, while those in the know can continue to defend against the dark forces of devils and demons alike.
We can’t always rely on regions’ military to keep us safe, however. It may go against adventurer protocol to say this, but for your loved ones who wait at home for your sporadic returns, tell them the truth about the Dangerous Deep. I do hope you send some of your earnings home to your loved ones . . . Designate some of those funds so that they have armed guards whenever they travel. Disappearing Folk is common in all parts of the Western continent. It’s a common lie to blame it on the elements or wandering bandits. But I believe a good chunk of those Folks are dragged below and subjected to a horrifying existence.

by Clkr Free Vector Images

Good Folk of The Dangerous Deep

Not all who reside below are dastardly wicked. Deep Gnomes and Dwarfs have made their homes in the Deep since before the fiends took over. Common belief is that Dwarfs and Gnomes were originally born in the Deep; they created the first caverns for their cities. These Folk only came Topside after their settlements were overrun with fiends.
Some chose to stay, fighting back the hordes of dark creatures that impede on their terrority. These are the Deep Dwarfs and Gnomes known today. Some of these Deep folk were successful. Many others have lost nearly all ground, living in the upper reaches of the Deep. Staying below only because their presence is the final barrier against fiends overrunning the Topside.
The Great Magical Eruption and subsequent Surges brought about a new species, The Fungi Folk. Although they are shy and rarely communicate with other Folk, the Fungi Folk stood by the Deep Dwarfs and Gnomes during the Devil’s Storm. Fungi folk communicate telepathically through use of their spores. They strive to be a peaceful community; however, when threatened, they can use their spores to poison even the most resistant fiends.

Kidnapped Orphans

There is growing concern of kidnapped orphans in Tifwado City and throughout the Western Continent. The more years that pass since the victory of the Devil’s Storm, the more emboldened fiends become. Even with the longer lived generations, many have forgotten the horrors of the Devils near reign. And though the Devilish Rulers who survived are still in hiding, the Demons have few qualms about dragging orphaned children below. We must be especially viligant when protecting our most vulnerable.