Description
The Tenebra is a subterranean biome with no contact with the surface world. It exists in only one spot in the world, in the heart of the southern half of Diminora. Life there revolves around Lake Finster, which is a vast underground aquifer. To call it a lake is a bit of a misnomer; it is more like a large network of ponds and underwater causeways, which all lead back to its deepest part one way or another. Underground volcanic and tectonic activity creates hydrothermal vents in the deepest part of the water. The heat and chemicals released into the water form the basis of energy input for this biome (rather than sunlight as for surface biomes) which micro-organisms break down to create energy using a process called chemosynthesis. These organisms are the foundation of the food chain.
Weather Patterns
None!
Temperature
The temperature remains constant at 70 degrees fahrenheit or 21 degrees celsius.
Flora
Mycelial Networks: Extensive networks of interconnected mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi, traverse the underground ecosystem, forming a complex web of nutrient exchange and support. These networks facilitate the decomposition of organic matter, recycling nutrients, and providing stability to the subterranean environment.
Cave Adapted Mosses and Algae: In areas with moisture and minimal light, specialized mosses and algae can cling to the cave walls, utilizing the available moisture and nutrients. These plants may have unique adaptations to cope with the constant darkness and limited resources.
Fungal Decomposers: Various species of fungi play a crucial role in breaking down organic matter within the Tenebra. They act as decomposers, aiding in the recycling of nutrients and contributing to the overall ecosystem balance.
Fauna
Blind cave fish, cave crustaceans, cave salamanders, bugs, and all of these can be “dire” as well.
Apex predator(s)
Dire Olm. This large, sharp-toothed salamander grows up to thirty feet in length. This unintelligent beast will eat anything that it thinks it can kill. It is deadly on land, able to move quickly across the stone, but an absolute terror in the water, where it is very difficult to detect. It has sharp claws, and many rows of teeth, and a jaw capable of crushing a man’s head. If you can damage its gill feathers sufficiently, it will die, but not necessarily quickly, and it may have enough fight left in it to take you with it. The Dire Olm is blind, but has a very sharp sense of smell both in and out of the water, in addition to being sensitive to vibrations.
Soil types
High organic content and a unique mixture of decomposed plant and fungal matter. Unlike surface soil, it has a uniform texture and very dark color, with no variation in its layers.
Rock types
Basalt, granite, gneiss, limestone, schist, flint
Water sources
The water in Lake Finster is safe to drink!
Disasters
Tremors can rattle the walls and/or cause rockslides. Sometimes, geologic activity at the bottom of the lake results in noxious gas bubbles being released, which can harm the air quality nearby.