The Mound

The Underhill, or the Mound, is where the fairies more connected to "This World" than "That World" dwell.
There is more than one mound. Dylan refers to and is connected to the one of Gwynedd.

"Time runs different in the mound."_{― Eloise McGraw, The Moorchild}

Only fae are unaffected by the way the mound warps time and space. A few hours, to a few month, can pass outside, while only being a few minutes inside the mound. Where the tunnels lead out is also random and makes little geographical sense. Fae can control when and where they come out, while humans are not so lucky. Many a story tells of men walking in and coming back to villages that barely remember their names.

Government

Each mound is responsible to a minor queen. She is responsible for the well-being of the mound and inter-relations between mounds. She is also a sort of shaman and is connected to The Queen of the Fairies herself. The minor-queen gives the order to go to battle.
Under the queen is a prince responsible for the mound's productivity and safety. The prince is the best shape-shifter in the mound. He supervises all parts of mound productivity and appoints chiefs under him. Being very active, he himself goes with the scouts to find new safe routes, hunting grounds, and foraging locations. He deals with human incidents.
Chiefs supervise specific aspects of life in the mound, such as: food production, herders, weavers, care of the younguns, scouts, cleaners, ect...

Defences

The Tunnels: A labyrinth of tunnels connects the mound to the upper world. Unknowing visitors wander always to the main chamber where they fall under glamour and can be easily led out. Pursuers will duck after a fairy and find themselves aimlessly lost in the tunnels. They won't exit where they entered. After obtrusions, the entrance and exits are closed. The walls and floors of the tunnels are all smooth cut stone. Differences are undetectable. The only way through is to memorize them or know how to see the fairy paths.
Glamour: The main chamber, treasury, and throne room are under a strong glamour. The unknowing eye will see grand halls gilded with gold. Sparkling gemstone chandeliers gleam where mediocre roots and candles hang. Fairies flow in gentle silks when the reality consists of leaves, flowers, and efficient web-wrappings. The glamour effects not only the eyes but the mind. Those effected will mellow and want to stay to sing and dance. The fae enjoy the entertainment, letting the wanderer out when bored. They also use glamour to abduct human children whose small hands are good for weaving.

Industry & Trade

Exports and Manufactoring: Silk spinning, weaving, tailoring, and fairy cattle are the mound's greatest assets.
The mound is strongest for the moths and spiders they raise. The silk and webbing is collected and then spun into fine threads. Moth silk is used to create gossamer garments valued by all the fae for celebrations. Spider silk is woven into durable undergarments, wraps, and armors. Its lightness and strength make it ideal for work outside the mound. Very nimble hands are required to create both.
Fairy cattle produce a thick milk which is made into long lasting butter and cheeses. The goods are stored and traded with other fairy settlements. The mound's location next to the moor (which the humans like to avoid) and a small lake and ponds make for ideal cattle raising.
Imports:
Metal goods are imported from other mounds located in the deep hills and mountains. Items include those such as helmets, blades, and nails. Gemstones as needed are also imported.
Finely tailored moth silks and costumes are imported as well as exported. Accessories made of sequins, feathers, bones, and bits of gold are highly popular.
Many imports (if they can be called that) are from thievery: or, taking things from the humans that won't be noticed. Brass buttons and clasps are popular, domesticated sheep wool is turned into blankets, beehives are easier to break into than nests, and cows' milk is much sweeter than that of the fairy cattle.

Infrastructure

The fae of the mounds steal most of their technological advances from humans. They keep mothhutches and mushroom farms.
Fairies of the mound spin and weave spider silk into delicate and durable fabric. Looms made to spin spider silk are fragile in structure but create extraordinary textiles.
Glowing mushrooms light the passageways.

Assets

Folk of the mound tend to fairy cattle. These are red, thickly furred, deer-like creatures, which produce milk. Cheese and butter is made from this milk. The cattle field tunnels lead to both the real and fairy worlds.
The treasury contains silver, gold, gemstones, and things of the sort.
Stores of spider-silk, mushrooms, baskets, textiles, dairy goods, seeds, and other goods are kept.
Flint and copper tools and weapons are kept.
Fairies enjoy dressing up and so have great closets of flamboyant gauzy outfits. Feathers and sequins are common. Work clothes are kept in bins marked by sizes.

Guilds and Factions

- Scouts keep track of the world above the mound. They find foraging, hunting, and danger. The scouts leave fairy-trails and sigils for others to follow.
- Gatherers are responsible for foraging outside the mound as well as collecting silk strands.
- Cooks
- Hunters hunt and snare small game. They use arrows, blades, and traps. In time of need, they second as the mound's warriors along with the scouts.
- Weavers tend to the moths and spiders kept in the mound, as well as spinning and weaver the collected silk. Their hands must be nimble and small to work with the fine material.
- Cleaners

Architecture

Most walls have been worn smooth by hands, and then etched to depict stories and natural scenes.
The throne sat in by the queen has been carved from the stone of the cavern. Columns adorn the room.
Where there is no stone to carve, wood has been brought in to make handrails, fences, and gates.
Pockets of dirt are set up within the walls to create hanging gardens.

Geography

The mound is a cave-system hollowed by an ancient stream and centuries of erosion. High vaulted ceilings of natural pocketed stone (a formation called tafoni) make the ceilings.

Entry is magical, usually through a movable rock, mushroom ring, or a natural arch made by trees or stone. Can be accidentally walked into, or not found at all.
The fairy mound Dylan is associated with has its real location on a slight hill on a moor. There are a couple of rocks along the hill, one being pushed aside grants access. It needs to be pulled back once you enter.
There is one main entrance/exit, and a few secret/work entrances/exits.
The main entrance leads to a circular rise surrounding a huge chamber which vaults into the ceiling. The rise is separated by a semicircle of walls which have slots back into the main chamber, but allow passage into anti-chambers. It's structured like the crystal palace in The Dark Crystal or the Goron's Domain in OOT. The main chamber has stairs which provide access to higher levels around the chamber. The anti-chambers are a maze. Connecting kitchens to bestiaries to indoor pastures to mushroom farms. Weaving rooms, to dye chambers, to moth sanctuaries, to delivery chutes. Bedrooms to washrooms to dining rooms to toiletries to baths to laundries.
The main chamber is for show. It's appearance varies based on how much of the glamour an individual can see through.

Natural Resources

A small stream runs down from a spring to an underground lake. An irrigation system takes the water to necessary locations. Flooding is possible, so the spring is closely monitored.
There is a lot of stone. Occasionally gems are found.

Type

Underground / Vault

Population

~300

Location under

This World

Owner/Ruler

Queen of the Fairies