Dhemor

  Dhemor is smooth-burnished basalt and slate, worn like river-stone, veined with cold-glow seams that do not shed light so much as invite sight. Cavern weather is the language of the place: a change in drip-tempo means a fork ahead, a pressure throb promises a climb, and pebbles roll upslope when danger approaches. In older vaults, the rock is scabbed with magma-amber eyes, cool, dull gleams that watch like memories. In newer cuts, hair-fine silk spans cracks where the stone has begun to forget who it obeys.  

Notable Locations

The Hollow Crown

A ring-cavern around a starless shaft; speaking a vow here drags echoes from every broken promise you’ve made.  

Tithefall

A black waterfall of coins hurled by priests across centuries; certain sums open rib-door seams for an hour.  

The Whisper Galleries

Corridors tuned so footsteps carry messages; trained guides tap-speak across miles.  

Molt Vault

A reliquary where Dhemir’s stone-scales flake like shale; wearing one grants blind-sense in total darkness.  

Foreshadow Stairs

A spiral of umbral steps that exists only on new moons; each landing chooses a safer path—at a cost.  

The Silkbound Sluice

A faultline stitched with pale web; Lolth’s priestesses hold it as a staging node into the realm.  

The Cairn of Names

A mound of helms, shackles, and chisel-scratched tags, memorial to freed slaves who vanished forward under Dhemir’s guard.  

Travel and Access

Surface Gates

New-moon pits, mine collapses, oubliettes, and sinkholes open as one-way slips when a copper is cast with a whispered thanks.  

Ritual Roads

The Chains of Shadow (linked darkness spells) harden into walkable night-bridges, letting a company cross void-chasms.  

Pandemonium Links

Side-tunnels roar with mind-winds; warding sigils cut the howl to a murmur.  

Exit Signs

Subtle heat-seams on stone (seen with darkvision) mark Dhemir’s Steps toward safe egress.  

Inhabitants

Petitioners of the Dark Road

Escaped slaves, spelunkers, scouts where they are quiet, self-ruled, and fiercely protective of sanctuary law.  

Skulk Hosts and Shulk Envoys

Trusted agents who read drip and pressure like script.

 

Echo-Law

A true name spoken in total darkness travels like a thread, where followers can trail it; enemies can pluck it.  

Warm Seams

Short bands of heat along walls mark safe paths; when they cool, a threat or lie is near.  

Stone-Sleep

If you douse all light and keep utterly still, the rock yields 1 ft/hour, letting you pass as if through clay.  

Pitch that Remembers

Floor-mist records footfalls for an hour; mimicking another’s gait fools certain warded doors.  

Silkfall

Rare, silent drifts of pale web-dust; breathing it gives advantage to spider-magic and imposes disadvantage to light-based effects for a day.