Neriak

Neriak is the home of the Teir'Dal and was the capital of their former empire. It is a starting city for Blight Elves. It is located under Sagara. The city is guarded by golems forged by the Spurned and controlled by the Indigo Brotherhood. This city is accessible in two ways: on foot through the Underfoot, or by having a cleric of Innoruuk teleport you to the Temple of Innoruuk.
The city consists of three caverns, each its own district guarded by a gate: The Commons, Indigo Hollow, and Third Gate.
The Commons: Between the first and second gates, the commons is home to much of the populace and also the city's commercial district. The First Gate leads to the Via Darklight which winds up to the Darklight Wood and to the Via Nerius. It is the only part of the city where foreigners are permitted without a special pass (achieved by faction work and other requirements). As a result, there are several inns in the Commons, and its market square offers a wide range of supplies for travelers. Additional commerce happens at the slave market where slaves bought from Majdul and Crushbone are sold to Teir'Dal. Numerous crafting shops can be found in the district as can various profession trainers. Cheap, instanced housing is available to PCs in the various tenements.
Indigo Hollow: Neriak's second gate leads to a cavern with a basin shaped floor. A tiled plaza lies at the center while the surrounding slope has been cut into terraces on which houses and other buildings have been erected. This district is known as the Indigo Hollow and is more upscale than the Commons offering more expensive housing for PCs. Non Teir'Dal who wish to enter this district must get a Indigo Pass in the Commons from Narex T'Vem, who oversees that district. This requires friendly faction standing with the Indigo Brotherhood. The Indigo Hollow houses Seloxia Stronghold, the main barracks of the Indigo Brotherhood (Warrior guild), and the district also contains the Nightsong Opera House and the Balefire Tavern. The city's third gate is located on the south side of the cavern and leads to the Third Gate district.
Third Gate: Past the third gate lies the most exclusive district of the city, which non Teir'Dal cannot safely enter unless they are regarded as an ally by the Indigo Brotherhood and are worshipers of Innoruuk (the lintel of the entrance is inset with an infernal stone that detects the corruption of the Infernal Sacrament as well as runes to dispel invisibility; if someone passes through the gate without being a true worshiper, an alarm sounds and the guards attack). The eponymous Third Gate district is home to the Library of Neriak, the Tower of the Spurned (Rune Mage guild), and the Temple of Innoruuk, which offers (cleric of Innoruuk and templar) of Innoruuk training and is a locus for cleric of Innoruuk teleportation. Most importantly, Hate's Bastion, the palace of the Thexes, is located in Third Gate.
Hate's Bastion is divided between those loyal to Queen Cristanos and those loyal to King Naythox. The Assassin guild known as the Ebon Mask (servants of the queen) are located here as is their rival Assassin guild known as the Unseen (servants of the king).
The Apostate Tunnels: long ago, the blight elves known as the Apostates, secretly used geomancy to excavate a series of tunnels under the city for the purposes of meeting clandestinely. These tunnels still exist and can be used to move surreptitiously around the city (including to the Port and Third Gate districts).

Factions

Dark Bargainers: The merchants of Neriak
Ebon Mask: The agents of Queen Cristanos.
Heralds of Innoruuk: The clerics of Innoruuk based out of the Temple of Innoruuk.
Indigo Brotherhood: The soldiers of the TeirDal.
Hand of Innoruuk:The Templars of Innoruuk based out of the Temple of Innoruuk.
The Spurned: The Rune Mages of the Teir'Dal
The Unseen: The Agents of King Naythox.

History

Neriak was buried by combine geomancers in the final battle of the rebellion. Some time after the fall of Combine empire, dervishes from the Elddar Desert moved north and founded Sagara, unknowingly over the buried ruins of Neriak. Recently the TeirDal have reunited under the alliance of King Naythox Thex and Queen Cristanos Thex (neither actually part of the Thex bloodline). In secret the TeirDal have excavated the ruins of their capital in the underfoot beneath Sagara. As their spies entangle themselves in the city above, their influence grows.

Location under

Underfoot