The Belina Caverns are the center of much of Peregrine culture, having been the focus of more than one prophesy and myth. The caves themselves have almost an otherworldly, magical feel and is one of the few places in Casimira that survived the Great Calamity perfectly intact. Its true purpose remains a mystery even to Peregrine scholars, but they believe it brings the blessings of the gods to those who protect and honor it.
The Belina Caverns are located in central Peregrine, surrounded by plains on one side and mountains on the other. The cave system goes deep into the side of the mountain, with one notable cave that opens to the peak.
Unlike many other cavern ecosystems across Casimira, the Belina Caverns remain largely unoccupied by wildlife. The only known flora that can be found in the caverns is a bioluminescent moss that creates very dim illumination at night. They come in a wide variety of colors and those familiar with the caverns can often mark where they are based on the colors in the different rooms.
The Belina Caverns are home to many myths and legends, but it has been many hundreds of years since anything notable happened there, aside from the yearly
Gealaí Festival. Over time, it has been noted that the moon has changed positions as it reflects in the pool of the central cavern during the Gealaí Festival, but scholars estimate that the reflections were made possible following the Great Calamity and will remain so many hundreds of years into the future.
While the caverns are open to all the people of Peregrine, only the members of the ruling clan will usually enter at other times of year than during the Gealaí Festival. Often this is to complete rites of passage involving navigating the extremely dark passages during the new moon. Clan healers have a rite of passage as well and will obtain special permission from the ruling clan to enter the caverns, although this is mainly out of formaiity than necessity.
Outsiders are almost exclusively forbidden from entering the caverns and are severely punished for doing so, as it is considered sacred ground. The mages of Ismena in particular have fought this for many years and have only succeeded in learning a little of the caverns from the few people who have journeyed from Peregrine to study magic.
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