Athelney

A once dwarven paradise, Athelney has fallen into the hands of both the troglodyes and kobolds, who have converted the cave systems into their own personal conflict. With the troglodytes residing in Rhuak, using the dwarven structures as protection and guidance, the kobolds have secluded themselves in the maze-like cave system. Compared to the other sub-sections of the Underdark, Athelney resides closest to the surface, making this a valuable and frequently visited place by outsiders. It's been the key region into understanding the lost dwarven secrets, although as mention before, the increasing dangers has made travel more difficult. A common goal for any adventurer is to locate the precious minerals, tomes, or even knowledge left behind that could hold key information for societal improvement.

Geography

Athelney can be summarized in three words: dark, cramped, confusing. The dwarves chose this region for its distorting passageways. No section looks the same, and it's hardly the right size for creatures larger than themselves. On the flip side, the formation of the caverns encourages natural predators to lurk within the most convenient paths. It might come as a surprise for some, but Athelney holds some of the few natural water sources within the Underdark, starting with the Crystalmir Lake : An underground lake that receives water from the dripping ceiling. This creation stretches for what seems to be several miles with a much longer width than what can be swam. And some distance away, Athelney formed the Silver pass. The Silver Pass is a chasm splitting the largest enormous cave into two, making it also one of the most dangerous sections simply for the lack of light. Crossing it has been classified as a lethal attempt; and this is excluding the potential creatures who have burrowed into the rocks.

Fauna & Flora

The downside of surviving in Athelney comes from the lack of food and water sources. The creatures that can be hunted are dangerous and riddled with crippling side effects, ranging from spiders, to human-size worms, and other beasts evolved enough to survive the harsh conditions. Even the plant life is known to be hostile, from the assassin vines that grow along the ceiling, or the spores that explode with diseases. The kobolds preferred creatures are the rideable mole-rats who are docile alone, yet hostile in large packs. As far as researchers have confirmed, the mole-rats are native specifically to Athelney.

Natural Resources

The dwarves benefited from the copious amount of mining deposits such as gold and mithril. And while it could not be considered natural, the magical essence in this region surpasses most known records for other regional deposits. The troglodytes frequently use capture slave labor to harvest such things to further their own magical rituals and sacrifices. The kobolds however stray from this.

Type

Cave System

Included Locations