Ust Natha

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

In Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Ust Natha is an independent drow city, found in the underdark beneath the location of the ancient temple where the first drow left the surface world during The Descent.


Sources

Passing Mention
Maps
Other Resources

Disclaimer

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Ironstar

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

A dwarven realm, now fallen.

It stood beneath Ironstar Mountain and was led by Clan Ironstar. It was established in -2919 DR and fell in 207 DR. Ironstar is noted as having survived alongside neighboring Mithral Hall for about eight centuries.

Sources

  • Drizzt’s Guide to the Underdark [11509] — mentioned on page 35
  • Dwarves Deep [FR11/9300] page 58

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Pholzubbalt

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

A necropolis in the western part of the Earthroot region of the Underdark. It was founded over a thousand years ago by a cabal of Mulhorandi necromancers.

Also called the Boneyard. Not to be confused with the monster by the same name… check other usages.

Source

  • Underdark [88581] pages 130-131

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Asmaeringlol

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

An underdark lake. Its waters approach the surface of Faerun through Stoneturn Well, marked by a huge dwarven citadel known as the House of Stone.

Source

  • Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting [11836] – mentioned under House of Stone on page 295

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Underdark Locations

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

Also called Deepearth, The Realms Below, The Night Below, or The Lightless Lands.

I’ve noticed that this particular page gets a lot of traffic, so I’m working on improving it. Please bear with me while I add and update links.

The idea for this list came from a Candlekeep thread.


Overview

Locations
Name Zone Notes
The Acid Aerie Northdark Gorge
Aixlintar Buried Realms Beholder city; part of Xun’Qoroth
Alatorin Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Allsihwann Old Shanatar Drow city in the ruins of Ultoksamrin
Ammarindar Northdark Dwarf realm
Araumycos Araumycos Minor Underdark Domain
The Arnvault Arnvault Minor Underdark Domain
Azerkyn Clanhold Old Shanatar Dwarf clanhold; part of Xothaerin
Barakuir Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Blessed Seahaven Deep Wastes
Blingdenstone Northdark
The Boneyard Earthroot
Brikklext Deep Wastes
Brundag Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
Buiyrandyn Northdark Drow city
The Sea of Buried Ice
The Buried Realms Buried Realms Major Underdark Domain
The Burning Rift Firelands
Cairnheim Darklands
The Cavern of Cloven Heads Northdark
The Cave of the Colossus Gauth Grottoes
The Chasmleap Bridge Northdark
Chaulssin Northdark Drow city
Ch’Chitl Northdark
Ched Nasad Northdark Drow city
The Citadel of the Fiendish Slayer Glimmersea
The Vault of Cloaked Midnight Old Shanatar Drow city in the ruins of Ultoksamrin
Cloakerhaven Darklands
Cloibbra Drow city
The Cavern of Cloven Heads Northdark
The Cold Sea Earthroot
The Cave of the Colossus Gauth Grottoes
The Vault of Conjured Madness Darklands
Daerbraun Deep Wastes
Dallnothax Old Shanatar Drow city in the ruins of Ultoksamrin
The Dao Delvings Old Shanatar
The House of Dark Consumption Deep Wastes
The Dark Dominion Northdark
The Darkgulf Great Bhaerynden
The Darklake Northdark
The Darklands Darklands Major Underdark Domain
Dead Dragon Gorge Northdark
Deepburrow Great Bhaerynden
Deep Imaskar Earthroot
The Deepkingdom
Deep Raurin Deep Raurin Minor Underdark Domain
The Deep Reach Darklands
Deep Shanatar Old Shanatar Dwarf realm
The Deep Wastes Deep Wastes Major Underdark Domain
The Rift of Dhalnadar Old Shanatar
Dolblunde Northdark
Drakkalor Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Drezz’Lynur Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
Driders’ Chasm Northdark
Drik Hargunen Darklands
Drowned Multum Deep Wastes
Drygulley Tunnel Northdark
Dunspeirrin Darklands
Dupapn Darklands
Durgg-Gontag Deep Wastes
Dusklyngh Deep Wastes Drow city
Earth’s End Great Bhaerynden
The Earthroot Earthroot Major Underdark Domain
Entemoch’s Boon Northdark
Eryndlyn Northdark Drow city
Everfire Northdark
The Fardrimm Fardrimm Minor Underdark Domain
Fendlestick’s Folly Northdark
The Citadel of the Fiendish Slayer Glimmersea
The Fireflow Deep Wastes
The Firelands Firelands Minor Underdark Domain
Fluvenilstra Great Bhaerynden
The Fortress of Gurzz’oth Gauth Grottoes Drow outpost
Fraaszummdin Earthroot
Fyrvek’Zek Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
The Gargoyle Tube Northdark
Gatchorof Old Shanatar
Gauntlgrym Northdark
The Gauth Grottoes Gauth Grottoes Minor Underdark Domain
Gduar’s Garden Darklands
The Giant’s Chalice Darklands
Ginsunlix Buried Realms Beholder city; part of Xun’Qoroth
Glanderultok Deep Wastes
The Glimmersea Glimmersea Major Underdark Domain
The Glimmersea Glimmersea
Golothaer Drow city
Gracklstugh Northdark
Great Bhaerynden Great Bhaerynden Major Underdark Domain
The Great Rift Great Bhaerynden Dwarf realm
The Great Worm Cavern Northdark
Grunthorigard Deep Wastes
Guallidurth Old Shanatar Drow city
The Fortress of Gurzz’oth Gauth Grottoes Drow outpost
The Heart of the Dark Buried Realms
Heldaeyn’s Pool Northdark
Holldaybim Old Shanatar Drow city in the ruins of Ultoksamrin
Holorarar Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Holy Mother Cauldron Glimmersea
The House of Dark Consumption Deep Wastes
Iltkazar Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Ilt’Zokir Old Shanatar Beholder realm
Irean Bridge
Iritasker Gauth Grottoes Dwarf clanhold
Iskasshyoll Old Shanatar Drow city in the ruins of Ultoksamrin
Jenn’Yxir Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
The Pit of Jhaam Darklands
Jhachalkhyn Northdark Drow city
Kanaglym Northdark
Karsoluthiyl Drow city
Kazardaern Old Shanatar
Korolnor Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Kuragolomsh Deep Wastes
The Labyrinth Labyrinth Minor Underdark Domain
The Lake of Radiant Mists Old Shanatar
The Lake of Shadows Deep Wastes
Lake Thalmiir Deep Wastes
Lake Thoroot Deep Wastes
Lightdrinker Great Bhaerynden
The Lightless Sea Great Bhaerynden
Llacerellyn Northdark
Llurth Dreir Great Bhaerynden Drow city
The Long Chasm Northdark
LoobliShar Darklands
Lorosfyr Deep Wastes
The Lowroad Northdark
The Lustrum Northdark
Maeralyn Tharsultdeep Drow city
Maerimydra Deep Wastes Drow city
Malydren Old Shanatar
Mantol-Derith Northdark
Menzoberranzan Northdark Drow city
Mezrylornyl Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
The Mines of Mirabar Northdark
Moondeep Sea Deep Wastes
Morndivver Old Shanatar Dwarf realm
Drowned Multum Deep Wastes
Nanitaran Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
Nar’Vheen Deep Wastes Drow city
The Netherese Caverns Netherese Caverns Minor Underdark Domain
The New Caverns Northdark
The Ramparts of Night Earthroot
The Northdark Northdark Major Underdark Domain
Nuur Throth Northdark
The Oasis of the Stone King Northdark
Oaxaptupa Old Shanatar Dwarf city; part of Xothaerin
Oghrann Dwarf realm
Oldonnar Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Old Shanatar Old Shanatar Major Underdark Domain
Ooltul Buried Realms Beholder city; part of Xun’Qoroth
Oryndoll Darklands
The Phaerlin Buried Realms
Phanlinksal Northdark
Phaundakulzan Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
Philock Netherese Caverns
Pholzubbalt Earthroot
Phulglotllaret Deep Wastes
The Pit of Jhaam Darklands
Qintaroth Buried Realms Beholder city; part of Xun’Qoroth
The Lake of Radiant Mists Old Shanatar
The Ramparts of Night Earthroot
Raval Spire
Reachmere Deep Wastes
The Realm of Stone and Shadow Northdark
Reeshov Northdark
The Rift of Dhalnadar Old Shanatar
Rootstalk Great Bhaerynden
Rringlor Noroth Old Shanatar
Rrinnoroth Old Shanatar Dwarf realm
Sabrishon Gauth Grottoes Dwarf clanhold
The Sea of Buried Ice
The Serpent Deeps Serpent Deeps Minor Underdark Domain
The Lake of Shadows Deep Wastes
Old Shanatar Old Shanatar Major Underdark Domain
Shape of Water Glimmersea
The Sharnlands Sharnlands Minor Underdark Domain
Skullport
Sloopdilmonpolop Old Shanatar
Sondarr Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Sorath-Nu-Sum Deep Wastes
The Spawning Deep
Sphur Upra Earthroot
The Spiderstalkings Old Shanatar
Sschindylryn Deep Wastes Drow city
Sschindylryn’s Gate Northdark
Sshamath Gauth Grottoes Drow city
Sshurlynder Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
The Vault of the Star Ruby Glimmersea
The Steel Kingdom Darklands
Stommheim Old Shanatar
The Oasis of the Stone King Northdark
The Realm of Stone and Shadow Northdark
Stoneshaft Clanhold Northdark Dwarf clanhold
Tellectus
Tethyamar Buried Realms Dwarf realm
Thaalud Tunnels
Lake Thalmiir Deep Wastes
Tharsultdeep Tharsultdeep Minor Underdark Domain
Thelarn’s Fist Gauth Grottoes Dwarf clanhold
Lake Thoroot Deep Wastes
Throrgar
T’lindhet Great Bhaerynden Drow city
Tomb Tapper Tomb Buried Realms
Torglor Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Traaskl Thorog Darklands
Trollspear Clanhold Old Shanatar
Trun’Zoyl’Zl Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
Tsenviilyq Northdark
The Tumulus Northdark
Tunthryn Gauth Grottoes Dwarf clanhold
Uestingpool Gauth Grottoes Dwarf clanhold
Ulin’Tharnor Deep Wastes Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Ultoksamrin Old Shanatar Dwarf realm
Ultoksurllur Old Shanatar Dwarf city; part of Sondarr
Undraeth
Undrek’Thoz Earthroot Drow city
Vaticos
The Vault of Cloaked Midnight Old Shanatar Drow city in the ruins of Ultoksamrin
The Vault of Conjured Madness Darklands
The Vault of the Star Ruby Glimmersea
Viksanmaq Buried Realms Beholder city; part of Xun’Qoroth
Vrasl Earthroot Drow city; part of Undrek’Thoz
The Wormwrithings Northdark
Xothaerin Old Shanatar Dwarf realm; part of Deep Shanatar
Xunqaq Buried Realms Beholder city; part of Xun’Qoroth
Xun’Qoroth Buried Realms Beholder realm
Xxiphu
Yathchol Northdark
Zanhoriloch Deep Wastes
Zokir Old Shanatar Beholder city; part of Ilt’Zokir
Zz’Pzora’s Lair Northdark

Disclaimer

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Cavanauth

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

An entrance to the Underdark, near Shadowdale village.


Sources

Maps
  • Shadowdale [FRE1/9247]

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Kanaglym

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

A city built long ago by dwarves. Kanaglym was absorbed into the Duchy of Hunnabar (part of Phalorm) while that realm prospered. Hunnabar fell to hobgoblins in 557 DR, but Kanaglym survived, due perhaps in part to its distance from the other cities. Kanaglym was assaulted again in 722 DR, this time by drow from Zanhoriloch. The dwarves not only successfully defended themselves, but pursued the drow through their portal and sacked Zanhoriloch. Unfortunately they were then trapped and unable to return to Kanaglym, and at some point after this Kanaglym was abandoned. A portal to Hades —the Fountain of Nepenthe— undoubtedly contributed to the decision to build a new home elsewhere.

As recently as 1255 DR, the cavern of Kanaglym remains reasonably intact; Daeros Dragonspear (who later founded Dragonspear Castle) emerged with a rich haul of gems stolen from a beholder lairing there. Midnight also walked through part of Kanaglym during the Time of Troubles in 1358 DR.

Kanaglym, Hunnabar, and Zanhoriloch (the drow version of it, anyway) are all now fallen realms.

Sources

Passing Mention
Maps

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

The Vault of the Thaalud

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

Once or twice per decade, an adventuring company returns after a successful foray into the Underdark beneath Anauroch, where the largest communities and expeditions of thaalud (aka tomb tappers) are found.  The adventurers, upon their return to the surface, naturally share (and suitably embellish) their experiences, in taverns and around campfires from Mirabar and Waterdeep to Suzail and Westgate, to Zhentil Keep and Mulmaster.  The Vault is often featured in those tales – not as an achievement, for no credible tale has ever been told of discovering it, but as the ultimate treasure trove of the Realms Below.

The thaalud seem to obsess over magic, pursuing it in the way the most avaricious of dragons or merchants seek wealth.  They will extort or kill for magic, without hesitation or remorse.  However, they don’t wear the armor they loot, and they use only the weapons that are crafted (and sometimes powerfully enchanted) by their own kin.  They’ve never been seen to eat magic items, and they certainly don’t destroy them.  Logically, then, they must be taking them somewhere.  A temple-city, the delvers insist… a dark place hidden far below, vast enough to display every magical item ever seen by a thaalud (who will not rest until it acquires the item).  This logic birthed, and still sustains, the legend of the Vault.

DM’s Notes

It’s not a bad idea.  So why not make it real?  However, there are a few buzzkills in store for acquisitive adventurers.

First, the biggest obstacle to be overcome is finding the Vault.  It’s assumed to be under the Anauroch because that’s where the vast majority of tomb tappers are found.  Nobody, other than the tomb tappers and whatever guardians they’ve put in place, has ever seen the Vault.  Human, dwarven, and even duergar sages have no sure knowledge about it, although some might make something up and charge you thousands of gold for their “wisdom” and then skip town while you’re gone to prevent possible retaliation for their underhandedness.  Obviously, the thaalud don’t advertise the existence or location of their Vault, and nobody else you encounter in the Underdark or on the surface will be able to point a finger and accurately say “it’s that way.”

Second, emerging from the first, is that you’re going to need a lot of power in order to get there.  It’s not the tomb tappers guarding the Vault that you should be worried about overcoming.  You should be concerned with the phaerimm, and the beholders, and the mind flayers (including a perhaps-shocking number of illithiliches).  You should think about all the drow (and the potentially vast numbers of driders who avoid the drow), and duergar (and far worse: derro), and kuo-toa, and deep dragons, and pseudonatural things creeping through portals from the Far Realm, and for that matter the natives of the ethereal and shadow planes who take their meals on the Prime Material, and all the constructs/elementals/outsiders/undead who’ve escaped their long-forgotten masters and now wander the Underdark bored and looking for a fight.  The places where you have to swim through miles of underground river, with only tiny/unpredictable air pockets, to get from one isolated pocket of the Underdark to the next because no dry tunnels exist.  The oozes, puddings, slimes, and the fact that every square foot of every tunnel has the potential to be infested with deadly molds and other fungi, many of which you’ve never seen before and/or won’t recognize until far too late.

Third, here’s the real kicker.  If you manage to find the Vault, and discover how to get into it, you’ll likely have the power to overcome the tomb tappers defending what is rightfully theirs… only to discover the ultimate disappointment.  The items in the Vault, no matter how numerous, won’t be appropriate to your level.  They’re not going to have +10 armor and weapons, or rings of universal elemental immunity, or the other fun items from the ELH… because in order to get them, they would have had to defeat adventurers like you… in which case they would have defeated you and kept you out of their Vault.  The treasures of the Vault are going to be mostly level 1-10 items, with some stretching up to level 20 (looted from tombs or taken from weaker adventurers who inherited them or stole them from tombs).  It is possible that the Vault contains one or more artifacts, especially the minor ones, but probably no major artifacts.

Then of course, there’s the question of how do you get all the treasure out of the Vault?  Even extradimensional spaces have limits.  Your best bet would probably be to set up a two-way portal, connecting the Vault with the personal stronghold you had the foresight to acquire.  From your keep, you can then sell the magical items off to merchants and adventurers passing through.

Yes, it is definitely an awesome quest, and don’t be discouraged from pursuing it.  Even the simple accumulation of several hundred +1 swords would be enough to make sure that you’re immortalized in taproom tales.  Just don’t count on it being quick, or easy, or hugely beneficial.  Profitable in gold… yes, perhaps, although the journey will have involved a lot of expense (ongoing armor/weapon repair and replacement as you get kicked in the crotch by everything and its brother, resurrection fees because some party members will definitely die, food and gear for your army while you blast your way through the Underdark, construction and upkeep of your castle, etc).  Upgrades in your own gear… no, the Vault probably won’t give you that.

Sources

  • The Tomb (I changed the name because I think “tomb of the tomb tappers” sounds lame) is mentioned under Tomb Tapper on page 82 of Monsters of Faerûn.
  • Underdark [88581] page 179 describes the Tomb as well. I have not yet incorporated this source into the ideas above.

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.