Buzalddworan

Deep beneath the mountains of Dworiz lies a world beneath the surface. Hewed into being by many generations of Dwarves working, mining and delving deeper into the roots of the world. Uncovering untold riches, metals, gems and gold flowing like rivers down in the darkness where the sun doesnt reach.

Geography

Before the holds of Dworiz came into being and the halls of Mog Dwonidur were carves into the mountain, there existed a vast system of caverns that tunneled and stretched through the Dworiz mountains. They reached deep into the roots of the mountains and deeper yet.

An ecosystem evolved here on its own. Creatures lacking fur, eyes or even colour dwell beneath mushrooms as tall as towers. Glowing moss carpets and crystalline caves with a gigantic aquifer flowing through it, fed by the waters above. Teeming with blind fish and other creatures. Eventually reaching the Nodresfar where the river has carved itself an underground lake that connects to the ocean.

The entirety of Buzalddworan is complex, and yet more and more caverns, holes and crevices are being discovered. Its vastness cannot be understated as it almost seems like a world onto its own.

Ecosystem Cycles

The layers of Buzalddworan are affected by the changing of season much like the overworld is. Though perhaps to a different extent.

During Winter the Aquifer Khazark Okrez receives less water due to most of the streams and ground water freezing up in the cold, especially in the mountains. So for a brief time the aquifer recedes and exposes fresh mud, silt and other soils which the Dwarves collect and use as fertilizer for their fields and either use it immediately, or store it for use later on.
During springtime the river tends to gain more water and brings in plants and other debris caught in the melting snows, this brings in new food for mushrooms which begin to grow in large numbers.

During summer Khazark Okrez floods and breaches its banks, flooding some cave systems. Though the Dwarves have created a system of waterworks and deep cisterns to prevent the water from flooding their homes and causing large amounts of damage. Even so the flooding of Buzalddworan is an important piece of the ecosystem, as when it floods it brings in fresh minerals for some of the bigger flora and mushrooms which during this time tend to reach the peak of their growth. The flooded caverns on the other hand offer a perfect place for fish and crustaceans to find food and mate.

During Autumn the aquifer recedes once more and leaves behind a fresh new layer soils upon the caverns giving opportunity for new life to thrive.


At seemingly random times during spring and autumn a light to heavy draft rises from the layers below Buzalddworan, potentially meaning that there is another ecosystem with its own weather further below what has been explored. With the draft come spores and sometimes exotic fauna. They resembles flat ray like beings, who are a lot more square like in shape with a long tail to grab onto ledges. Many have come to call these things "Cave Carpets", not much is understood about them as they tend to die quickly after ending up in Buzalddworan.

Fauna & Flora

Flora

The first layer is what most regard to as Dwonidoran, a place beneath the earth yet still graced with rays of sunlight. Life here is only a little different to life on the overworld. As light still shines here most of the plants are green but are reduced to low shrubs, mosses, lichen and the occasional small tree.

Deeper lies Buzalddworan or the Gray planes, which receives little to no light from the sun. Yet in the absence of light, other forms of flora evolved and thrive here. One such plant is the Mûdk or luminescent moss.

As the name implies it is a moss that glows a feint light blue, but it shines brighter when something comes into contact with it. It could be seen as the Bozalddworan version of grass as it grows almost everywhere and is considered a food source for many of the grazing creatures that dwell here. As Glowing Moss grows and dies in cycles its remains decay and become a form of soil that bigger plants, mostly mushrooms can grow upon.

Mushrooms can come in many sizes in the Gray Planes. Some are the size of fingernails while others are as tall as towers, reaching the cave ceiling. The most common is called the Kizuwuld, it is a mushroom that can grow to waistheight of a dwarf and doubly so in width. It is edible but also can be brewed into a form of alcohol. The fungi itself needs very little attention, merely a relatively calm place to grow in and some soil to grow upon. Kizuwuld are considered the Dwarvish bread as they make up a large portion of their diet in Buzalddworan.

Another form of plant that thrives here are large leafed Orrkazû, which are bioluminescent and grow around the underground valleys the aquifer has created. In a way resembling a dense forest, offering shelter to small cave critters and some bigger animals. Thanks to the nature of the caverns however they can technically grow anywhere, as moisture and the cave moss create an environment for these plants to thrive.

Fauna

The fauna within Buzalddworan can range from the smallest of insects to relatively large predatory animals. Apart from the cave moss and the plants and mushroom making up the bottom of the food chain, hand sized ferret like critters called Zhirrik, scuttle around the Orrkazû forests. They are devoid of fur and mostly blind, using very long catlike whiskers and keen sense of smell to navigate their surroundings. This usually leads to a Dwarf waking up to some of them pillaging their pantry.



Zhirriks are considered vermin and a nuisance to most inhabitants. But they actually do serve a purpose as food for bigger predatory animals. But Zhirriks also keep the population of fungi down in the Orrkazû forests. Which otherwise would overwhelm the Orrkazû and kill the forest. Some of these critters are also known to live inside of the larger mushrooms, which enter into a type of symbiosis, as the Zhirrik feeds on harmful insects that could harm the mushroom, while the mushroom offers them shelter.

Guûnrags are a frog like species that dwells near puddles, lakes or other bodies of water in Buzalddworan. They are numerous and are most likely some form of relative to frogs. They have dark gray skin that makes them look like just another rock at first glance. They are no bigger than a regular toad in the overworld with coarse and rough skin excellent for this sort of environment. They feed on smaller insects, mainly the flying Brogbrok which are similar to dragonflies without a tail and instead two large fleshy bags. Guûnrags snatch them out of the air with their tongues much like how frogs hunt on the overworld.
A unique quality of the Guûnrag is that they will suck in air and form into a ball when threatened. Some creatures are scarred off by their increase of size, but that isnt the main function of this ability. While in the form of a ball Guûnrags will start to roll around and try to escape by flinging themselves off cliffs or high locations. Thanks to their tough skin they usually survive such a fall. Dwarves that live in Buzalddworan have been using Guûnrag skin as containers for fluids, as the skin allows for some more volatile fluids to be kept within, but also due to its elasticity makes for an excellent waterskin.


The Oûbrid is a roundish, pale, fleshy creature that hangs upside down from cave ceilings, with their tongue extended towards the ground. Producing an odd odor, comparable to something rotting they attract insects and other scavenger feeders. When an animal stumbles into or makes contact with the very sticky surface of the tongue they will find themselves commonly stuck to it, after which the Oûbrid hoists them up to its toothy maw and consumes them.

Natural Resources

Buzalddworan is overflowing with resources. Each layer is rich in minerals and metals such as iron, gold or coal which flow like rivers across the ceilings and walls of the cave systems. For many centuries the Dwarves of Dworiz have mined these resources and there is no end in sight, as their tunnels and mines reach ever deeper and further into the mountain. In places Gems and Crystals line the cavern walls in such great number and such pristine quality that they reflect torchlight like mirrors. In other places crystals are larger and taller than towers or castles. With more and more resources being discovered as more of Buzalddworan is explored. 

Animals

Plants

Alternative Name(s)

The Gray Plains

Location under

Dworiz Mountains

Owning Organization

The Holds of Dworiz