Bethel Cavern
Bethel Cavern is a beautiful and extremely dangerous cavern located near Understone in the Depths. It is an uneven shape some 6 miles long in the longest direction, and is dominated by an immense fungal forest. A great waterfall flows down from an opening in the ceiling in the southeast, forming a large pool - the largest of several water bodies scattered through the cavern.
The cavern is perpetually lit in a rainbow of hues, as many of the fungal trees glow dully as they release spores - a warning to local herbivores to stay away. The poison of the spores is quite insidious, somehow detecting the mindset of those who breathe it in and confusing those who think fearfully of escape. This effect cripples the herbivorous species that try to eat the fungus growing here while leaving the predators that stalk the forest with their full faculties. Here, too, a luminous orange algae thrives in the waters, having been introduced to this ecosystem by the waterfall countless centuries ago.
The cavern is home to numerous predators. Most are natural horrors that stalk the caverns: powerful beasts strong enough to survive in a realm where flight means almost certain death. But even these creatures must evade the Lingorm and other unnatural spawn of the magical storms on the surface, many of whom have found passages below and made the most of this predator's paradise.
There are several passages to other caverns scattered throughout the forest, including the ruined city of Understone. Several of these caverns are barren places of stone, too cool and too dry for the fungal forest to spread. These caverns provide safe haven for the Great Lacerta and other herbivores to sleep, but they lack any form of sustenance. Thus, they must return to Bethel Cavern to feed, and be fed upon in turn.
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