Umbris

Umbris is shrouded in shadow. Seriously, the only “natural” light comes from infrequent thunderstorms, or the occasional bioluminescent mushroom. The landscape is mostly flat, broken up by the various plantlike organisms that have grown despite the lack of sunlight. Most species do not grow very tall, except for the Creeping Spires, a collection of vines growing straight up, with larger vines spread across the ground around it. Mushrooms and other fungi rule Umbris, with forests of large mushrooms dominating large portions of the landscape. Several species of mushroom have developed bioluminescence, providing glowing forests in the middle of the darkness.
All native species of Umbris have developed some sort of night vision. The dominant race, the bat-folk known as Orloks, heavily rely on a combination of heat-sensing and echolocation to navigate. Bright light is highly painful to them. They live in communities dug into the ground, with some buildings, known to be the largest structures in Umbris, located aboveground. The other native race, svartalfs, are descended from either human or dwarven immigrants, and are totally blind, instead relying on a form of telepathy to sense their surroundings and communicate. They live in dwellings carved out of large, sponge-like fungi sporadically found across the landscape of Umbris. The svartalfs are significantly more hostile than the orloks, existing in a constant state of conflict with the batmen- and everything else.
Because of the various hostile creatures and terrain, an order of dark paladins, the Knights of the Shrouded Dagger, patrol the realm, attempting to protect travelers. They are generally despised by outworlders, as their powers are viewed as sinister. The Knights maintain various outposts and fortresses across Umbris.
The wildlife of Umbris is mostly undocumented, as it is nearly impossible to properly research what you can’t see. Various creatures confirmed to exist are: Yateveo, man eating trees that slowly move across the landscape and ensnare prey with bioluminescent flowers; Nightblooms, a fanged mouth embedded in the ground surrounded by tentacles; Ameboids, gelatinous masses of slime that roll after prey; etc.
Getting to Umbris is surprisingly easy. Getting out, isn’t. The main portal found at the Hub opens into the Orlok city and trading outpost of Mortock. Alternatively, if one is unlucky, then walking through any dark shadow may lead you through a temporary portal into the realm. Of course, getting back out after suddenly being stranded in a world of pure darkness is usually impossible.

Alternative Name(s)

The Realm of Darkness

Type

Dimensional plane