Fernal
The Underground Caverns
Located underneath the megacontinent of Ustremmel, this sprawling cavern spans from the Cataclysma down to the Faelands. Since the War of the Depths first began, these cavernous depths have been embroiled in war with the righteous Celestials that hail from above. With battles on three fronts and a neutral fourth party, this location has not known peace in millenia.
Geography
Primarily underground, the majority of Fernal is covered in the dense mushroom forest. A single river flows through the depths, primarily fed from the dam in the Ionid capital of Caerule that powers their technology. Rivulets of running water and precipitation flow from the elevated platforms of the city and into streams below, which eventually feed into the single river that sustains all of the living species in Fernal.
The parts of the cavern that are not covered in rivers or mushroom forests are occupied almost entirely by mountains and structural columns which run from the bottom of the cave all the way to the ceiling. These columns provide structural support to the massive underground area and also provide nests for many different species of bats and other flying creatures.
Ecosystem
Due to Fernal being entirely underground, most local flora and fauna operate either through blindness or bioluminescence. The rare mammalian species that are able to survive in Fernal's harsh environment often operate with visual impairment, since this allows them to allocate their energy to hunting through scent in the low-light environment. The species that don't develop blindness as a result of the location often live in tandem with the forests of bioluminescent mushrooms, relying on the mushrooms to light up the surrounding area well enough for the creatures to find food.
Fauna & Flora
Fernal is most well-known for the glowing red moss that lines the ceiling of the cavern in most locations. This moss lets off a strong enough glow to create dim light in most areas. Its spores are known to cause negative health effects in Pure Celestials and mild negative effects in Darkling Celestials. This seemingly targeted biological response leads many of the Ionids researching the plant to conclude that there is a possibility that this plant was manufactured as a defense against Celestial invasion.
History
Existing originally as the ancestral home to the Shades, Fernal used to be known commonly as the Voiceless Chasm. The Shades ruled over this location as the only native sapient species. It wasnt until after being perceived as a threat by the Celestials that the Shade population began to rapidly decline. After the Shade population was reduced to a fraction of its previous glory, the undead Vampires and forever hungry Werefolk began to flood into the area and take up all of the available space. The location now suffers from extreme overcrowding, now sporting five distinct races to compete for resources, territory, and power.
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