Forgotten Realms: The Underdark A Jumpchain Compliant Document Created by Yorokonde

The air around you is not just still. It’s dead. Lifeless. Musty with the smell of long settled dust and damp, cool walls. The feeling of millions of tons of stone hanging over your head presses down onto your soul. You’re not just underground, you’re so distantly far under the earth that it would take hours worth of walking straight down to reach the depths you’ve appeared in. The darkness around you isn’t the simple absence of light. It’s the darkness that has not seen daylight since the planet first formed. A hungry, slippery ink that rubs against your skin with every breath. The Underdark. A second world sitting beneath the sunbathed one above. Beneath Faerun lies a violent place of shadows where every monster that despises the light chooses to reside. The races surviving down here were old even before humans were born. They squabble and war with the other terrors using psionic powers and ancient magic no sane being would ever dream of unleashing on another. Down here, it is a constant struggle for survival and the weak do not last long. The civilizations that survive this far below ground do so brutally. The Drow elves, skin black and hair pale, plot and scheme against each other while viciously fending off any who dare enter their territory uninvited. The Illithids are terrifying alien creatures possessing powerful mental abilities and a complete disregard for the worth of any other life. The lucky few who cross their paths have their brains devoured. The unlucky are made into slaves, or worse, used in their breeding rituals. Phaerimms, Aboleths, Beholders, and undead of all stripes live and die in this shadowed world. They fight on a daily basis for survival and dominance. Over each other, over their own kind, even stopping to raid the surface world on occasion. They also brutally punish the few who wander down searching for riches and treasure long since lost. Surface dwellers rarely come prepared for the cruelty and myriad dangers that greets them. Even discounting the inhabitants, merely traversing the Underdark is a trial that leaves many to meet their end starving in dead end passages. Split into three layers, the Upper, Middle, and Lower Underdark, the caverns and passages of this subterranean world are a wild, jumbled mess. A passage might expand out into a system of caves large enough to hold a small city, only to suddenly shrink to a space too small for a halfling to squeeze through. Major cities are sometimes cut off from everywhere else except by cracks no larger than a fist. A trade route between two colonies might require travelling down a layer, then back up. To complicate all this, magical portals litter the Underdark. They can lead to areas of the subterrain thousands of miles away, or to other Planes that will destroy those who wander in blindly. But they are often the only way to travel between different regions. This brutal, twisted, scattered world is where you find yourself. You need not spend all your time down here. But making it back up to the surface will certainly not be an easy trek. And depending on what you now are… perhaps you belong down here with the other monsters.

Surviving the Underdark The weak, the unprepared, and the foolish all die young in the Underdark. It is a fact of life in the dark and desolate world beneath the surface. That you stand here is proof you are at least not the first two. You have enough skills and experience under your belt to recognize most of the common dangers of the Underdark. In addition, you’ve learned enough of the ways of adventurers to be dangerous. Whether your talent lies in magic, the martial, the shadows, or something odder, you will find those talents sufficient to survive in the safer portions of this dark world. Attempting to blindly wander the corridors alone with just this, however, is tantamount to suicide. Consider bringing a team or a few friends if you wish to explore.

Pick one of the below talents for FREE to represent your existing ability to survive. Your choice will affect your Discounts. [See Notes 1 and 2]

The Martial The only thing standing between the darkness and your life is the weapon in your hands. Whichever one you initially picked up, be is a sword, a spear, all of them, or none of them at all, your mere survival means you have learned enough to be dangerous. You may not be able to deal with some of the more magical or esoteric dangers of the Underdark, but you’ve got brute force on your side. When there’s a cave in or a minotaur is charging, you’ll be the one people rely on. Your weapon, your armor, and your strength will be your defense against those who wish you harm.

The Arcane Whether you have learned how to tap into the Weave, use your own natural talents to fling magic, or have stumbled onto a secret darker or less well known, you have the power to access the arcane energies of this world. Whether you specialize in one school, such as Enchantment or Evocation, or dabble in all of them, you have a powerful ability buzzing beneath your skin. While studying your art has left you weaker and less durable than other talents, you compensate for this by the sheer variety or power of the magic you can use. Your talent still has much room to grow but even now you are dangerous enough to survive this dark world.

The Divine Just because the Underdark is a world without sunlight does not mean it is one without faith. Lolth, the Spider Queen, holds the Drow tightly in her chitinous fist. There are other gods aplenty beneath the earth, twisted and cruel and merciless as they are. They can offer power to those who bend their knee and listen to their dark whispers. Of course, in the deepest darkness, a spot of sunlight can glow all the brighter by comparison. Whether you worship good or evil, somewhere in between, or if you steal your power where you can get it, the divinities are the source of your strength. While your magic is not usually as powerful as those who tap into the Arcane, you hold the power to heal and harm in your hands. Eventually you will be able to raise the dead back to live, whether as themselves or the walking undead. You may also have some talent with a weapon if your chosen deity is of a militant bend.

The Shadows Only the truly stupid wander the eternal darkness below ground with the assurance that their strength of magic or might will carry them safely. There is only one true way to survive the Underdark. It is to not be seen or heard by the creatures that hunt there. While you have learned no fabulous might of arms or flashy magic, you have learned how to survive and travel unmolested. And when you need to strike you do it decisively. In one swift blow that leaves your foe bleeding out on the ground. Scout or assassin, you know how to stay unobserved by all but the most keenly observant, or mentally talented, individuals.

The Mind Living so far under the ground for so long can do strange things to the mind. Unused senses get discarded or allowed to atrophy and others rise in their place. Or perhaps the generations of exposure to the natural magical radiation of the Underdark have created whole new talents in the minds of certain residents. Whatever the reason, you have learned how to tap into the power of the mental magic known as Psionics. Not truly magic, but not truly not magic either, it can be a powerful force once trained and focused. You have begun that journey and learned more than enough to become labeled as a dangerous foe to cross. But beware. There are creatures down here with mental powers that would, quite literally, blow your mind. And some consider those with this talent especially tasty.

The Path Between Of course, there are those who have discovered multiple talents in themselves. Or just put in the time and effort to train themselves down more than one path at once. It is not uncommon to find those willing to explore any avenue in an effort to drag up an ounce of extra power just to survive. While you are not as talented in any one path as those talked about above, your versatility makes up the difference, allowing you to touch upon two of them. Blending magic with a weapon, teleportation with slipping through the shadows, or even Psionics with worship of a deity are all possible, if not always ideal combinations.

Races of the Underdark

The Underdark stretches for tens of miles below the surface of Faerun and runs under most, if not all, of the surface, including some of the oceans. As such, there as dozens of sentient races that call the lightless underground home. There are communities that have not seen anyone outside of their own kind in millenia and others that are as intermixed as some surface cities. Most of the races listed below barely get along with each other, let alone foreign races. Some come with exceptional abilities, magical or otherwise, that make them naturally more powerful than the rest. Others have little more than the skills they develop themselves and a bit of natural talent. Your choice will determine what kind of life you can expect in the Underdark, as well as what others will think of you at first glance. So choose carefully.

You gain 1000 CP

Menzoberranzan, City of Spiders, a Drow metropolis

Deep Imaskari (+200 CP) ​ As one of the oldest Human empires of Faerun, Imaskar was a force that shaped the world above and below the surface in their era. Wizard-kings ruled with the abandon and heedless experimentation that only the truly powerful can afford to display. While it is not known precisely what caused their grip on the surface to falter and fade, their empire has long since vanished. Only a few scattered ruins, mysteries to even the finest scholars, still exist on the surface. But in the deepest parts of the Underdark, a secret is buried behind three dozen miles of rock, tunnels, monsters, and one of the most sophisticated series of spells ever to grace this world. The descendents of the Imaskari still survive, unknown to the world above. Their survival, their civilization, and their city have even been kept secret from the other denizens of the Underdark. This despite the fact that no small effort has been made to discover where they come from. Deep Imaskari appear mostly human, but show evidence of the magical tampering and experimentation that was their history. They have pale, stone-like skin that appears as if it was sculpted from the finest veined marble, though it is as soft as normal skin to the touch. They are tall and slender beings with the males commonly reaching six feet tall but only weighing around 160 pounds. The females are noticeably shorter and lighter. They are, almost universally, arcanists of some stripe or another. Their culture is so intertwined with the magical arts that it is highly unlikely even a peculiar Deep Imaskari would not pick up at least a little of the talent. They are not a religious people in any sense of the word and are the least likely to pursue any form of divine magic or worship. Those who choose to wander outside of their hidden city of Deep Imaskar do so with all knowledge of the location of their home magically excised from their mind. Some make arrangements to be teleported back at some later date or after a certain task has been performed, but others simply never go back. This is to protect the city from those who would desire the arcane secrets hidden away inside. There are simply too many monsters capable of reading thoughts and plumbing secrets in the Underdark to do otherwise. While the Imaskari of ancient times were generally considered evil, greedy, destructive people, the survivors have become much less interested in carrying on those traditions. While they are far too interested in the study and experimentation of arcane magic to be truly good, they are, at least, not hideously evil in their tendencies either. Deep Imaskari are slightly more intelligent, but less dexterous in their movements than other humanoid races. While they cannot see in full darkness, they can see very well in low-light conditions and still distinguish color as well as detail. Their marblelike skin gives them a subtle advantage to hiding amongst the rocks of the Underdark as well. Finally, those who explore their arcane talent find they are capable of casting an additional 1st Circle spell each day. A result of the generations of magical talent soaking into their blood.

Starting Location: Deep Imaskari, Age: 20+3d8 Located in Lower Underdark in the far northeastern portion of the Earthroot region, this massive city is home to nearly fifty thousand descendants of the original Imaskari. It is a comfortable, entirely self-sustaining city held together by the arcane magic they study and are protected by. [Page 138, Underdark] ​

Genasi (Earth) (+200 CP) ​ ​ While the other planetouched races may not find the Underdark a comfortable place to live, those descended from earth outsiders are quite happy below ground. The feeling of stone and earth surrounding them on all sides feels subtly of home and the darkness is no hindrance to their eyes. They are still uncommon, even rare, in most parts of the Underdark. But here and there you will find small communities these tough, solid people have built for themselves. Earth Genasi proudly show their planetouched heritage, but most of their features are similar to those of Humans. They often have one or two distinguishing characteristics that firmly set them apart and make it hard to mistake them for those they resemble. Eyes like gems, a gravelly voice, very large hands and feet, a metallic sheen their hair or skin, or even sweating mud instead of water are among the most common seen in them. They have very little in the way of an organized culture, religion, or even traditions. But they are proud of their heritage and all celebrate their connection to the element that helped spawn them. Unlike other planetouched, this takes the form of quiet confidence instead of loud boasting or flamboyant displays. They also hold no special attachment to others of their kind, but this is more due to their rarity than anything else. The few Earth Genasi settlements held in the Underdark exist because of sheer determination or raw power. The stubbornness with which they defend their chosen cavern or series of caves would be admirable if it wasn’t nearly suicidal this far below the surface. Still, they do exist and are often supported by powerful earth elementals or outsiders. They tend to be rich colonies and rare bright spots in a dark and evil place. Earth Genasi tend towards martial talents most of all. The straightforward approach matches their personality and strength of will. They are the least likely to approach the arcane arts. Those that do often specialize in spells that bolster their martial talents or natural affinity towards earth. They have few interested in the divine practices. This is due to their lack of a central faith more than any disinterest in the divinities themselves. Earth Genasi are all strong and durable, but tend to be oblivious and stubborn. They have a slight resistance to Earth-based magic that grows in power as they do, but spells also treat them as Outsiders, which can cause some problems. They have the ability to see in pitch darkness a fair distance, if only in black and white. Finally, they have a touch of magic flowing through their veins from their unnatural parentage that makes it impossible to track their movements through non-magical means for an hour each day.

Starting Location: Earth’s End, Age 20+2d8 [Page 147, Underdark]

Myconid (Elder Worker: +100 CP, Guard: 0 CP) ​

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Myconid

Perks

Tongues of the Shadows (50 CP): Pick one of the language from the following list. You know how to understand the language as well as any native.

+ Touch of Psion - Gives you a very, very basic introduction to psionic powers for cheap, with the option to grow them on your own over time. + Daylight Adaptation - Negates any Light Sensitive your race has. + Navigating and Climbing Perks + Being able to actually negotiate with monsters/Social boosters + Touched by Madness - Major boost to Will save as a result of past trauma. + Buying directly into Prestige Classes like Arachnomancer or Vermin Keeper if they have the right Talent/Archetype. (And maybe even if they don’t for an extra surcharge?) + Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting - Arcane Devotees [Drow, Males] , Divine Champions [Drow, Female only], Divine Disciples [Drow, Female Only], Runecaster, Shadow Adept + Dungeon Master’s Guide - Assassin, Blackguard, Shadowdancer, Loremaster + Underdark - Arachnomancer, Cavelord, Deep Diviner, Drow Judicator, Illithid Body Tamer, Imaskari Vengeance Taker, Inquisitor of the Drowning Goddess, Prime Underdark Guide, Sea Mother Whip, Shadowcrafter, Vermin Keeper, Yathchol Webrider + Mark of Experience (200 CP): [3 more Levels, either in the same Base Class as above, or a different one. Can be Prestige Class levels if you qualify. Cannot be mixed and matched.]

Items + A selection of pre-crafted Golems (Shield Guardian, Stone, Flesh, ect) + A section of caverns/bit of the Underdark to take with after leaving or an underground city, perhaps. Really just property in general. + Amulet of Ooze riding + Gelatinous Cube Mount.

Companions + Deurgar smith who doesn’t ask to be invited along. He simply invades your Warehouse and refuses to leave. Sets up shop and grumpily creates metallurgical wonders. Loudly complains and curses whenever he’s asked to go outside. Will absolutely show up with a FUCKING HUGE warhammer when he’s really needed. + Svirfneblin rogue/pathfinder? + Good Drow Priestess - worships Eilistraee. + Evil Drow Priestess - worships Lolth. + Goofy Mindflayer - Pimp version? Dresses like one too? + Serious Mindflayer

Notes: 1. What the fluff means is that you start with 5 Base Class levels of your choice. Fighters and Monks would be Martial, Sorcerers and Wizards under Arcane, ect. The Path Between allows you to dual class, but you still only have 5 Base Class levels to work with. 2. What Edition is this? (Free): While this Jump was originally written with the 3.5 version of Dungeons ​ and Dragons in mind, you don’t have to be bound by that. Want the world to run on 2nd Edition rules? 1st? 4th? 5th? Whatever you want, just decide now and that’s how it works. Alternatively, if you just want it to run on pure fluff, you can do that too. Or maybe you prefer Spell Points or some other official side-rule? Perfectly acceptable