Undermountain
| Undermountain | |
|---|---|
|
Map of the Undermountain (0.4.14) | |
| Level range | 6+ |
| Accessible from | Foothills |
| Leads to | |
| Neutral Hub | No |
The Undermountain is part of the Minotaur kingdom, known as the Deeprealms and Under-Kingdom. In peaceful times, the grand tunnels would be bustling with residential and mercantile activity and protected by the soldiers of Khor'minos. However, with Kasyrra's arrival, Demons have taken over the Undermountain, with citizens fleeing behind the protected walls of the city proper. Now, all that remains are hordes of Imps desecrating all they find, as well as residents not fortunate enough to be granted citizenship who now struggle to survive.
The Undermountain is split into three zones. There's the green zone, which covers the path from the King's Gate in the Foothills to Khor'minos. The red zone, which is the Steps of Sorra that lead up to the Windy Peaks. And the blue zone, which contains access to the River Ridell and can be traversed after you've cleared out the smugglers on the eastern docks.
Encounters
As the Undermountain is a series of tunnels, you do not need to Explore to find a way forward. However, the darkness will make it difficult to find your way. The Undermountain is highly dangerous, and as such camps you set up will disappear rapidly. Brint or Brienne have special dialogue at various points as they return to their homeland.
Zone 0 (Green)
Waystone
A short offshoot from the main tunnel-road takes you into a large, domed chamber perhaps a hundred yards across on a side. Several "buildings" have been chiseled out of the walls, including what's unmistakably a stable and a warehouse, both now empty — their doors have been left hanging open, as if to advertise their abandonment for the world to see.
In the center of the chamber is a statue of a beautiful cowgirl maiden, clad in loose black robes that are nearly falling off her curvy figure. She carries a two-bladed axe under one arm, and a lantern is held aloft in the other. Within the lantern is a hanging blue gemstone. While it lies inert for now, you can feel the draw of power bleeding off of it, as if begging to be reawoken.
Just past the Foothills entrance and to the south, you find a Waystone to activate. You can Explore here to find an Ornate Lantern that makes navigating the tunnels easier.
Tiran Temple
At the end of the tunnel-road here is a solid facade of stone into which has been carved a pair of minotaur-sized doors and several windows that still have fragments of shattered glass within them. The rest of the colored shards are scattered around the courtyard, all the way to the base of the fountain in the middle of the courtyard.
The statue standing over the fountain depicts an extremely top-heavy cowgirl, wearing dark robes and cloth wrappings that barely contain her voluptuous figure. A labrys axe is planted between her feet, but her arms are wide open invitingly. Water streams down from her breasts, pooling between her feet.
To the west of the crossroads is the Tiran Temple. You can enter and find some restless spirits, though you can't enter the lower floors until getting help from a member of the clergy.
Imp Patrol
You're maybe halfway across the bridge when you realize the sound of water burbling below has changed. Wait, no. This is something else, something buzzing down there. You step to the edge and peer over — and immediately regret your decision as a pair of tiny red hands grab at your face, trying to mash you into an imp's crotch. You yelp and fling the little bastard off, but there's more where he came from. Dozens more!
At the north-east bend in the centre of the map, you encounter a horde of Imps. Luckily, Calise, Isadora, and a regiment of Khor'minos soldiers arrive in time to save you. This encounter unlocks new and upgraded imp types, which can be disabled during the events of The Siege of Khor'minos.
Overlook
You finally find a good vantage point — an outcropping along the side of the mountain, almost like some kind of viewing platform. Obliging its likely creator, you step up to take a look — and what lies below makes your jaw drop in awe.
At the foot of the winding path lies Khor'minos in all its sprawling metropolitan glory. Beautiful, luxurious villas are surrounded by smaller residential buildings that line the paved roads with a gigantic oval-shaped building as its centerpiece, the size of which defies belief. That must be the legendary Colosseum you've heard so much about, where bloody gladiatorial combat and wild chariot racing takes place.
As you approach the city for the first time, you stop at an overlook to gape at the metropolis. Brint and Brienne have special dialogue if present.
Zone 1 (Red)
The red zone does not have any specific encounters at this time, although all the shared encounters still apply. In future it will lead to the Windy Peaks.
Zone 2 (Blue)
Smuggling Operation
The vast subterranean lake spreads out ahead of you, placid and black as night. A trio of barge docks lances out into the water, and a single lakeside shack stands by the water's edge. While most of the structures you've passed in the Undermountain have been abandoned, though, you can see a bright light, as pink as Cait's hair, spilling out from the windows and pulsing faintly. Painted as nothing more than shadows by this half-concealed light, several creatures flap noisily around at the dock, pulling in a barge just as you approach.
During The Siege of Khor'minos, Calise tasks you with investigating smuggling at the docks. On the western docks on the Foothills side, you encounter a group of Demons that you can handle a number of different ways. (Yes, losing on purpose and letting the Blood Knight breed you counts as handling them.)
The Boatman
Livernus the boatman is standing on the docks, busily moving cargo from the shore onto his barge. He gives you a friendly nod as you approach. A couple of minoan legionnaires are stationed nearby, keeping watch for imps.
After the smuggling operation is cleared out, Livernus can ferry you across the lake from the eastern and western docks.
Nihara's Home
Nihara's home is built out over the lake, a modestly-sized cabin of reinforced mushroom-wood coupled with porous clay brick. Joined to the sandy shore by way of a long boardwalk, it's held just above the lake's waterline by stout pillars of minoan concrete; while nowhere as ostentatious as the lavish villas that form the patricians' home away from the city proper, it's still clearly out of the reach of the average minoan citizen. There's a distinct aesthetic to it that's somewhere between Jassiran, Tronariian and Macahn from the way the railings are carved and the eaves of the roofs curve upwards; it's been distinctly made to stand out from the standard minoan architecture, perhaps to enhance the mystique of engaging the services of the lady of the lake, as it were.
Nihara lives next to the eastern docks, providing aid to those who've holed up in their villas outside the city walls.
Persistent Characters
- Gianna's Caravan: Always doing business, even in a warzone.
- Undermountain Kobolds: Searching for metal to present to the queen. Maybe Lyric has an idea...
- Kobold Queen: Takes an interest if you beat up her subjects, or give them metal.
Generic Characters
- Earth Elemental: Looking for something. Not sure what yet.
- Imps: Levelled up and ready to party.
- Minotaur Miners: Looking to blow off steam after a long time in the mines.
- Undermountain Hobgoblins: Trying to survive, and your electrum would be very helpful in that.
Chest Puzzle
Don't despAiR, KNow you'll achiEve SucceSs in the end.
Quest Related
The Siege of Khor'minos
Calise sends you to check out the docks to try and find smugglers.