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 he Underdark is an extensive underground complex extending for untold reaches, its tunnels, passages, and caverns of all shapes and sizes interlocking in a vast subterranean network, a web within the rock—which is fitting, as the drow who dominate so much of the world below worship the two Spider Goddesses, Suryn and Lloth. The actual regions that encompass this cavernous realm range from the lair of the dreaded Chaos Goblins to the svirfneblin city of Galtherdelve to the beautiful Myconid Caves. The premier city, Aluhryn, is the largest and most prominent of all the Underdark cities—indeed, to most of those who dwell within, Aluhryn is the only city of any importance at all. Aluhryn functions as the economic center of the Underdark as it dominates the majority of trade and guilds within the grasp of the Sablestrand River. The center of the city, the Spire, provides all newcomers with the essential background for its rightful claim of Suryn's grace.
The Great Houses of Aluhryn |
 row society is dominated by the Great Houses of Aluhryn, hereditary noble dynasties whose Matron Mothers collectively rule the city in the name of Suryn. Houses such as Adaan, Dae'Til, Kit'n-darnos, Tormtor, and Veladorn all have risen, preaching the glory of the Spider Queen and inciting the populace to war with the Lloth-worshiping apostates of the rival city of Naes'zan Thablar.
he dangerous outskirts of Aluhryn, known as the Western Wilds, are infested by oozes and slimes, causing a hazard to travel. Beyond lies the lair of the renegade Daka and the Kobold Encampment, which provide easy competition for those of middling skill. More distant locations such as the Illithid Cavern, the Slave Rebellion, and the Chaos Goblin Lair send chills down the spines of even the most accomplished adventurers. Any form of travel outside of Aluhryn is dangerous indeed; those who would explore the Underdark and all its reaches would be well-advised to practice their abilities to the fullest and be wary of the long, harrowing journey ahead of them.
 n stark contrast with Aluhryn is Galtherdelve, the home of the svirfnebli, which exists far away from the evil clutches of the drow. Built around the massive Soulforge Falls cascading into Lake Mistpool, the many-tiered city and its environs could not be more different from the majority of the hateful Underdark. Throughout Galtherdelve are various shops and guilds catering to the needs of its citizens. The entrance to the city is under strict guard in order to protect the city from invasion from the hordes that clamor for its riches.
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