Difference between revisions of "Underworld"

Lying at the lowest roots of [[Yggdrasil]], the Tree of Life, the '''Underworld''' is the massive plane in which the [[soulbleed]], the energy lost in transit to the realm of Lord [[Thoth]], coalesces into undead beings. Lord [[Ugrach]], King of the Undead resides here, surrounded by Lord [[Kemnast]] and the [[Death Knight]] guards. Also within are Ugrach's five [[Ur'Vampires|Ur'Vampire]] lieutenants: [[Gerzson,]] [[Asztrik]], [[Tizane]], [[Prioska]], and [[Zigana]]. The [[Magisterion]], three [[Tsol'dasi]] [[liches|lich]] archmages, have also managed to find their way here. They are known as [[Dominar]], [[Jor'keth]], and [[Pryla'ket]].

The hollow '''Damienne Forest''' is one of petrified wood, dead xylem and phloem that have probably never felt the spart life. The blighted, blasted landscape here appears as if a source on par with the Morning Star blasted it to dessicated trunks and scattered eaves, but in reality, such an energy source would be rare indeed, if not an impossibility in the apathetic landscape of the Underworld. As with the nearby Tenungick, the Damienne is devoid of structures of any sort, as those seem to cluster at the southern and northern extremities of the realm. To the north of the Damienne Forest is the Unsguul Mountain range, while to the east and west lies the Tenungick Swamp and to the south, the Shtlenii River.

The fetid '''Tenungick Swamp''' compose one half of the midsection of this realm, joining with the Damienne Forest in the east and west, and the Unsguul Mountains in the north. The Shtlenii River cuts through its southern end. Within the Tenungick, bubbles of noxious poison gas push and plop to the sludge-coated surface, formed by the subterranean workings of the swamp. It is here that adventurers first find themselves upon entering the Underworld, as this is where the Temple of Unlife's root of Yggdrasil leads. At the southern end of the swamp, on the southern banks of the Shtlenii, the dread Prylator Pit plunges into the bowls of the realm.

South of these is the abnormal '''Shtlenii River''', serving as the barrier between the central and south sections of the Underworld. Its banks fall so steeply they suggest unnatural origins, which could very well be the case, as the river bed is as dead as the Damienne Forest, Tenungick Swamp, and Abhal Tornu Desert through which it runs.

Within the Anthrish Plains lies the hillside '''Bolgukova Fortress''' of the [[Ur'Vampires]]s [[Prioska]]. Hidden guard stations with Death Knights and vampires abound in this fortress, and during some stretches, the main hall itself seems to twist, melt, and vary in length. Prioska herself dwells in a room just off the very end of the main hallway.

Of note within the Anthrish Plains is the '''Modyara Obelisk''', where the Ur'Vampiresses [[Tizane]] and [[Zigana]] reside. Modyara is an undeath research facility, where arcane, esoteric devices of unknown purpose and origin whiz and whirl mechanically, clear tubes pulse and drip noxious fluids into beakers, and even stranger devices busy themselves with tasks too strange to imagine, all in pursuit of some secretive undead goal.

'''Nemuritoaure''' is a roughly spiral-shaped fortress in the Ruakh Dead Sea in the Underworld. It is the home of the Ur'Vampire Gerzson, who resides at the spiral's very centre. The entrance to Nemuritoaure is east of that of Moldova.

At the south end of the Ruakh Dead Sea is the fortress '''Moldova''', home of the Ur'Vampire [[Asztrik.]] Curiously, Asztrik has taken to growing plants, though, as with anything growing in the Underworld, they have their own unique blight to them. The exterior of Moldova appears at first shattered and in ruins; Asztrik himself dwells further in, beyond the rubble.

Located on the south end of the Anthrish Plains, the '''Osterrych Citadel''' serves as the barracks for Lord Ugrach's [[Death Knight|Death Knights]] forces. Obviously, Death Knights abound, but one denizen of note is the feared Lord [[Kemnast]], Mightiest of the Death Knights. Many concealed exits and hidden Death Knight guards make this easily one of the most dangerous places in the Underworld.

Piercing the clouds over the bleak Abhal Tornu Desert is '''Granniftor Fortress'''. This massive serpentine tower is the stronghold of the Magister Jor'keth, aknowledged as greatest of the Magisterion. The grisly Sangrim Climb, a grim spiral staircase constructed of stacked humanoid thigh bones, winds its way up through the fortress's interior.

At the south end of the Tenungick Swamp sits the '''Prylator Pit''', a dread crypt that begins with a pale, simple mausoleum and plunges headfirst into the bowels of the Underworld. Paintings dot the walls, whether they be scenes depicting obscene suffering and torture, or mere portraits of the Magisterion before their Tsol'dasi forms were bent by undeath into arcane liches. Each room is polygonally shaped, the number of walls increasing as the depth increases, until one comes to the chamber of the Magister [[Pryla'ket]] herself.

'''Cor Kanth''' is the fortress of Lord Ugrach, King of the Undead, in the imposing crags of the Unsguul Mountains. The Dead Stairs within lead up a tower to the quarters of Lord Ugrach himself. A grand hall, with murals depicting historic events in Underworld history, may be found in this fortress. Naturally, Ugrach's grand throne rests here in Cor Kanth, and it is rumoured that the legendary Soulbleed Nexus, the point of highest soulbleed concentration, lies somewhere within, as well.

As the first to undead to coalesce from [[soulbleed]] and gain sentience, Ugrach claimed dominion over his lesser brethren, the ghosts, wisps, and ictheli of the land. After a time, he hit upon the secret of creating, bypassing the need to wait for coalescence to occur. Skeletons, zombies, ghouls, vampires, and wights were his creations. Finally, he created his crowning achievement, whom he titled "Vampreny." Vampreny would create for him, giving Ugrach time to grow in power. However, after a while Vampreny disappeared from the Underworld.

Some time during the Underworld's history, the Gedtet, a race of undead hunters, was exterminated. We know not who or what the Gedtet were, or what exactly became of them. We know only that now, they are gone, and perhaps only Ugrach and his know what happened to them.

During the [[Help:Mythology|War of Humanity]], Prince Slith of the Underworld, then at his father Ugrach's side, decided to aid the forces of the [[Triumvirate]], eager to fight against the hated [[Thoth]]. Furious, Ugrach cast Slith and his followers from the plane and made a declaration of neutrality in which he stated that he wished not to butt heads with the gods, least of all [[Thoth]], who is Death Himself. Among those followers was General [[Zsarachnor]], Slith's chief advisor. Later, at the [[Help Mythology|Battle of Nishnatoba]], sensing his impending defeat, Slith quit the battlefield, opting instead to return to the Underworld to reconcile differences with his father. However, his excursion was short-lived; at the close of the war, [[Ayar]] exiled Slith to the [[Chaos Plane]], where he and Zsarachnor brooded for untold centuries. And that is the last bit of action the Underworld saw in quite some time.

In more recent years, the Underworld was rediscovered in 338 AF, thanks to the opening of a previously sealed section of the lower level of Azdun. Brave enough adventurers may seek entry by going there, to the [[Temple of Unlife]], and touching the massive root of [[Yggdrasil]] which the Temple is built around.