I got your Underdark right here
Jan. 24th, 2005 10:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
teleribOne of the more... hm, fantastic elements of a standard AD&D fantasy game is the Underdark. This is supposed to be a vast underground network of caves and tunnels, supporting huge colonies of deadly monsters, evil cultists, and entire cities of malevolent species who want to take over the surface world.
What do they eat? Even the greenest Game Master eventually realizes that this ridiculous ecosystem could never sustain itself. The usual answer is "mushrooms," on the theory that mushrooms grow underground, without the need for sunlight. Upon inspection, it is not a particularly good answer, but it suffices for a Saturday afternoon's worth of slaying evil cave monsters.
But do not try this at home. At least not without a good flashlight, extra batteries, and someone who's pretty good at making maps when the GM isn't telling you exactly how long every corridor is. And without the whiskey.
What do they eat? Even the greenest Game Master eventually realizes that this ridiculous ecosystem could never sustain itself. The usual answer is "mushrooms," on the theory that mushrooms grow underground, without the need for sunlight. Upon inspection, it is not a particularly good answer, but it suffices for a Saturday afternoon's worth of slaying evil cave monsters.
But do not try this at home. At least not without a good flashlight, extra batteries, and someone who's pretty good at making maps when the GM isn't telling you exactly how long every corridor is. And without the whiskey.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-01-24 04:13 pm (UTC)Funny article though.