The Undercity [WIP LORE]

Little is said publicly about Velantis’ seventh—and hidden—district. Located beyond the harbour slums and the factories of the industrial quarters, the Undercity is among Velantis’ poorest regions. By virtue of its geography, it is cut off from the rest of the city. Without the watchful eye of Velantian officials, it has become a breeding ground for organized crime and other underworld operations.

Location

The Undercity is located within the Messeidan Gorge, a canyon that cuts a wide swath through the Velantian peninsula. The canyon is not a natural formation; like many geological oddities found on the peninsula, it is the result of a powerful eruption of magical force. It likely came into existence around the Astrandium.

The gorge is the deepest canyon in the world, reaching around 18,000 feet at its deepest point. It is notable for its red and orange rock and the massive natural pillars scattered throughout the canyon. The pillars reach to the height of the surrounding cliffs and their tops are wider than their bases (thank to their shape, Undercity residents call them “flowerpots”). The pillars effectively create a series of waterless islands. A network of bridges link the flats of the pillars, creating pathways across the gorge. Most Velantians cross the bridges without looking down and seeing the sprawling slum burgeoning below.

The north end of the gorge is bordered by Lake Messeida, a massive lake on the boundary of the Gairloch Mountains. It is the end point of the Adaranth River, which flows through the base of the canyon. Ancient magical energies surround the confluence of the lake and the river, making the river flow up the canyon’s cliffs, surging into the lake in a reverse waterfall.

Some edges of the gorge are carved into cavern networks, which descend even further into the ground.

Undercity Structure

Because of its geographical separation from the rest of Velantis, the Undercity is effectively a city-within-a-city. Many roads lead into the Undercity, but few lead out. The district is not connected to the Pallaedrion (a stabilized portal network that simplifies travel across the peninsula). The only way in is through the heavily guarded lifts constructed along the canyon’s sides, or through personal (and illegal) portal systems. Permits are required to use the lifts, which severely limits the Undercity residents’ access to the rest of the city.

The bottom of the canyon is overgrown with tenements and buildings that crawl up the cliffs. Due to the narrow nature of the gorge, buildings in the Undercity grow up instead of out; many buildings are well over fifty storeys high. They follow the natural line of the cliffs, curving in and out with the rockface. Most buildings rely on magical reinforcements to keep them from falling over. Some of the oldest tenements are carved directly into the cliff-face itself.

Due to the flowerpots and the tall, crowded structures, the Undercity gets very little natural light. It is rare to see the sky unobstructed. A general rule among Undercity residents is that the wealthier you are, the closer to the sky you will be. Richer residents are able to afford roof-top apartments, whereas the poorest will be trapped on the canyon floor.

Because of the lack of natural light, the Undercity is lit with conjured light. The walls, windows and roofs are emblazoned with colourful conjured lights, which may be bent or shaped into street signs or other images. At night, the whole gorge appears to be on fire, its lights glowing furiously below the bridges.

Due to the Undercity’s congestion, the Adaranth River is highly polluted. If residents cannot conjure water themselves, potable water must be drawn from a number of wells dotted around the canyon floor, or from aquifers in the caverns. While some food can be grown on roof-top gardens, Undercity cuisine relies heavily on mushrooms and other vegetables that grow in dim light, alongside meats from rodents and small animals that roam the streets. If residents have enough money, they may be able to purchase grains and other necessities from visiting merchants from the upper city.

Soulweavers (those with a natural gift for Conjuration magic) and Dustforgers (Transmogrification magic) are highly sought after for their talents. Together, they can keep families fed and watered almost indefinitely by conjuring potable water and transforming inedible objects into food. This makes any Soulweavers and Dustforgers extremely valuable; they are often targeted and forced into the gangs that rule the Undercity, if they do not become gang leaders themselves.

The Undercity is often used as scouting grounds by the Erebian League. Many street urchins are brought into the League with promises of food, shelter, money and a better life. The Swiftmark Chapter is composed almost entirely of former Undercity urchins.

Red-Light Districts

The Undercity houses one of Velantis’ most popular and bustling red-light districts. Residents from the upper city frequently visit the many shops, gambling dens, brothels, and leisure houses. While the practices of these establishments are not illegal, most are unlicensed and do not report to their associated guilds, as required by Arathian law. Many of them operate as fronts for other dubious affairs.

Leisure houses are quite common in the Undercity, providing a mix of entertainment, drink, drugs and sex work to its patrons. Many promote the services of Lightseekers. Lightseekers’ powers are two-fold—some are trained in illusionary work, which allows them to craft intricate scenes for the entertainment of others, similar to the work done by performing artists in the Velantian entertainment district.

Others can alter the perceptions of others, focusing on altering emotional states. Altering emotions can be extremely dangerous if not done with care and precision. In the upper city, people with these powers become licensed mental health professionals and use their magic in addition to other strategies. In the Undercity, licensing and training is difficult to attain. Many Lightseekers end up using their powers to wipe a person’s emotions entirely for an hour or two, which can become an addictive coping strategy (particularly when paired with alcohol or drugs).

Underground fighting rings are very profitable and can be found in multiple caverns throughout the Undercity.

Culture & Ties to Velantis

The Undercity has a thriving culture separate from the rest of Velantis, including their own dialect. Many Undercity residents do not see themselves as Velantian citizens. Most have never left the Undercity. 

After Velantis’ annexation to the Empire ninety-two years ago, many of those who resisted Imperial occupation ended up in the Undercity. A large portion of its population are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who fought against annexation. Some surviving elves and dwarves lived directly through those events.

Rumours that a surviving member of the Velantian royal family is in hiding in the Undercity persists across the gorge, though it has never been proven.

Leadership

Since Velantis’ annexation by the Arathian Empire, the Undercity has separated from the rest of Velantis. The district’s governing official can do very little to exert control over the district. The true power lies with the six gangs who have carved up the gorge into their individual territories.

Though the gangs gnaw at each others borders, the boundaries have mostly remained the same. Internal politics are complex and power occasionally changes hands, leading to new leadership. Some gangs have been relatively kind to their territories; others extort their residents for crowns and services.

Velantian interference with the Undercity has decreased significantly over the past two years, to the point where the city guard can only be found around the lifts. It is rumoured that Magistrate Sophia Anaxas has a long-standing agreement with the most powerful of the gangs to leave the district alone in exchange for information or services.

Development Notes

The Messeidan Gorge is partially inspired by the Grand Canyon. The “flowerpots” are inspired by Flowerpot Island, an island off the coast of the Bruce Peninsula on Georgian Bay (Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada). The island has a number of these rock formations along its coast:

The Undercity is a major location and the Player Character will spend a lot of time there, starting in Chapter 3.