Darkstone

Type: Subterranean City | Population: Moderate | Region: Chrysanthia

Gateway to the Rootvast. Named for the distinctive black stone used in its construction, Darkstone serves as the Empire’s primary point of contact with the vast underground network that stretches beneath Angrea. The native Duegar residents are… less than welcoming.

"The Duegar tolerate surface-dwellers the way a homeowner tolerates mice—with reluctant acknowledgment that extermination would be more trouble than it's worth."
— Rilvan Upright, Imperial ambassador (former)

Overview

Darkstone exists at the threshold between the surface world and the Rootvast, the immense network of natural and carved passages that extends beneath much of Chrysanthia and beyond. The city is built primarily underground, its distinctive black stone architecture visible only at the surface entrance. Below, it sprawls through caverns the Duegar have occupied for millennia.

Key Features: - Primary access point to the Rootvast - Distinctive black stone architecture throughout - Duegar-built infrastructure (impressive but not designed for visitors) - Imperial diplomatic presence (maintained despite local indifference) - Trade hub for underground resources

Population: Moderate, predominantly Duegar with a smaller surface-dweller population concentrated near the entrance levels.

Notable Locations

The Gate of Depths

Function: Transit Hub | Access: Public (with documentation) The primary entrance to the Rootvast proper. Duegar guards control access with efficiency that somehow manages to communicate contempt for your presence without technically being rude.
The Black Market

Function: Commerce | Access: Public Not actually illegal, named for the black stone plaza where traders gather. Rare minerals, underground produce, and Duegar craftwork exchange hands under the watchful eyes of merchants who’ve perfected the art of making you feel like you’re wasting their time.

Districts

The Upper Reaches

Traveler's Rest

The Mid Depths

The Deep Warrens

» Primarily residential Duegar territory » Visitors strongly discouraged

Governance

Power Structure

Stone Warden: Thrain Blackvein (Duegar Elder Council) The actual authority in Darkstone. Surface Imperial authority is technically recognized but practically irrelevant.

Imperial Representative: Consul Mira vel Thessa (House Neuros) Maintains Imperial interests and facilitates surface trade. Remarkably patient.

Other Notable Figures: - Elder Grimjaw Deepforge — Miner’s Collective - Broker Drunn Undertow — Trade Consortium

The Duegar govern themselves according to traditions that predate the Empire by considerable margin. Imperial authority is acknowledged in matters affecting surface relations; everything else is handled internally with pointed indifference to outside opinion.

Visitor Information

Getting There

By Road: Mountain passes from the Heartland
By Airship: Limited service; not many good landing places
On Foot: Traditional approach; the Duegar almost respect this

Accommodation

Surface-style inns exist in the Upper Reaches, catering to visitors who prefer beds to stone sleeping platforms. Deeper accommodations are available but designed for Duegar proportions and sensibilities.

Things to Know

The Duegar are not hostile, merely unwelcoming
Respect local customs (ask before touching anything)
Light sources are provided; bring backup anyway
Bargaining is expected; enthusiasm is not
The phrase “surface-dweller” is descriptive, not an insult (usually)