Isle de Quake

This Island is composed primarily of rock and earth, criss-crossed by veins of precious metal and gemstones of such gigantic proportions that they cannot be believed by those who have never set foot there. Interspersed with this solid rock and earth are caverns of all sizes, some of them dark and dry, others filled with water and phosphorescent fungus.   Others yet are lit by enormous crystals, enchanted by the native shaitan genies to illuminate vast caves, like miniature suns.   Intrusions of elemental fire and water extend from the Plane of Earth's borders with the other elemental planes: bodies of magma and volcanic tunnels extend from the Plane of Fire, while the influence of the Plane of Water results in vast buried oceans and in bodies of limestone and salt. A tunnel known as the Vent extends through the Plane of Earth from its border with Fire on one side to that with Water on the other.

The Isle de Quake is home to the mighty mercantile empires of the Shaitan genies and Underdark Drow who have made their home here, who freely trade the incredible mineral wealth of their home to planar travelers or the migrating nations of merchants. Found on the isle are the haunts of the crystal dragons, a native race of dragons who fiercely guard their treasures and are often found ruling small nations of other species, providing safety from the slavery. Xiomorns control large sections of the plane, and themselves pay obeisance to Ayrzul. Earth elementals are much more protective of the island's mineral riches, seeing its dispersal as an almost personal violation of their bodies.   Other native life in the Endless Delve includes earth and dust mephits, mud elementals, xorn, crysmals and the serpentine agrawghs, whose tunneling is thought to have created many of the Plane of Earth's tunnels. Species more common on other planes, such as oreads, dwarves, humans and the occasional elves, can be found inhabiting larger caverns and hollow spaces.

The Elemental Plane of Earth was an infinite expanse of solid matter pockmarked by bubbles of other elements and riddled with fissures and tunnels created by burrowing creatures or the occasional small mining operation.   Ensconced in a few of these pockets were trading outposts and the rare hidden wizard fortress. Solid does not imply stationary: the substances of this plane were constantly moving in a slow, grinding motion punctuated by earthquakes from small tremors to massively violent upheavals.    Open spaces were gradually filled by the relentless shifting (or marauding earth elementals) unless action was taken to prevent it. Air could be found in scattered pockets but unbreathable gasses were also present—unprepared travellers lucky enough to arrive in a cavern might slowly asphyxiate while the unlucky quickly suffocated by being buried alive. Other pockets of magma, water, ooze, dust, or ash were particularly dangerous for miners if they accidentally breached one of these. No light existed in the Plane of Earth except for rare luminous gems buried in the crushing darkness.

This Island is composed primarily of rock and earth, criss-crossed by veins of precious metal and gemstones of such gigantic proportions that they cannot be believed by those who have never set foot there.