Sewers

The Sewers of Seregon: A Subterranean World

Beneath the bustling streets of Seregon lies a labyrinthine network of sewers, a hidden world as complex and dangerous as the city above. The sewers are a mix of ancient tunnels, modern drainage systems, and forgotten catacombs, all interwoven to create a shadowy undercity teeming with life—both natural and unnatural. The The Greycaps clean the sewers and remove obstructions, part of their service to the city.

Layout and Structure

The sewers of Seregon are a sprawling maze of tunnels, chambers, and cisterns, built over centuries as the city expanded and evolved. At their most basic level, the sewers are designed to divert waste and stormwater away from the city’s canals, which sit at the basement level of most buildings. The sewer tunnels, therefore, run at least one level deeper, often two or three, descending into the dark depths beneath the city.

Primary Tunnels:
The main arteries of the sewer system are large, vaulted tunnels through which water and waste flow steadily towards the city’s outskirts, where it is eventually discharged into the river or sea. These tunnels are wide enough to walk through and are often lined with slick stone pathways, making them relatively easy to traverse for those who know the way.

Secondary Tunnels and Chambers:
Branching off from the primary tunnels are smaller, narrower passageways that twist and turn unpredictably. These secondary tunnels often lead to cisterns, junctions, and storage basins where waste collects or is redirected. Some of these chambers are vast, with towering ceilings and echoing voids, while others are tight and claustrophobic, filled with the stench of decay.

Detours and Dead Ends:
Despite the overall functionality of the sewers, they are not without their quirks. Large sections of the city are built atop ancient structures, such as ziggurats and the Hall of Records, and these create significant detours and obstacles within the sewers. Delvers often find themselves forced to navigate around or through these structures, encountering unexpected dangers along the way.

Entrances and Exits

Access to the sewers is primarily through iron grates embedded in the streets and alleys of Seregon. These grates are sturdy and require considerable effort to pry open, a deterrent to casual exploration. However, they also serve as the main entry points for those brave or foolish enough to venture below. In more remote areas, sewer exits can be found in the cliffs, along the gorge, or by the riverside, often concealed by foliage or hidden in shadow.

Crime and Enforcement:
Damaging or tampering with these grates is a serious crime in Seregon, punishable by arrest if caught by the Iron Guard. The guards patrol the streets above, ever vigilant for signs of illegal activity, and are quick to apprehend those found prying up the grates.

Creatures and Inhabitants

The sewers of Seregon are home to a wide variety of creatures, from the mundane to the monstrous. Some of these denizens are relatively harmless, while others are deadly predators, lurking in the shadows and waiting for the unwary.

Common Inhabitants:

• Seven Sins: The Thieves Guild uses the sewers as secretive pathways, allowing them to move unseen beneath the city. These guild members are skilled in stealth and combat, making them dangerous opponents if encountered.

• Bargemasters Guild: Bargemasters navigate the waterways, transporting illicit cargo to and from the city. Sometimes they use the sewers to stash goods between runs. 

• Gang Members: Various gangs control different sections of the sewers, using them as hideouts or as routes for smuggling goods and contraband

• Zombies: Many infected people are dumped in the sewers. Although they're supposed to be left for the myconids, many can't bear to to wonder about what the myconids do with the infected.

• Myconid Workers: The Greycap myconid colony connects to the sewers, with their workers tending to fungal growths that thrive in the damp, dark environment. Though generally peaceful, these creatures can be aggressive if their territory is threatened.

• Giant Snapping Turtle: Massive and ancient, these turtles patrol the deeper waters of the sewers, their powerful jaws capable of crushing armor and bone alike.

• Swarm of Cranium Rats: These eerie, intelligent rats share a collective consciousness and are often found in large swarms. Their psychic abilities make them particularly dangerous, capable of overwhelming intruders with mental assaults.

Dangerous Creatures:

• Chokers: Sinister creatures that lurk in the shadows, chokers use their long, rubbery arms to strangle unsuspecting victims from the darkness.

• Demented Deathcap Myconids: Unlike their more benign kin, these myconids are twisted and corrupted, spreading poison and madness wherever they go. Myconids kill them on site, but they are still around.

• Giant Wasps: Nests of these aggressive insects can be found in the high, dry chambers of the sewers. Their venomous stings are deadly, and they are fiercely territorial.

• Blue Mist: A strange, creeping fog that drifts through the tunnels, the Blue Mist is said to sap the strength and cause disease to those who inhale it, leaving them disoriented or worse.

• Gibbering Mouthers: Horrific amalgamations of flesh and eyes, gibbering mouthers are nightmarish creatures that gibber maddeningly as they consume anything in their path.

• Otyughs: Filthy, tentacled creatures that dwell in the deepest, foulest pits of the sewers, otyughs are scavengers that feed on waste and anything unlucky enough to fall into their lair.

• Gelatinous Cubes and Black Puddings: These amorphous predators slither through the tunnels, dissolving anything organic in their path. Gelatinous cubes are nearly invisible, while black puddings are corrosive to metal and flesh alike.

• Crocodiles: These reptiles lurk in the sewer’s waterways, ambushing prey that comes too close to the water's edge.

• Darakhul and Beggar Ghouls: Ghouls of various kinds haunt the sewers, hunting for the living to satisfy their insatiable hunger for flesh. The Darakhul, in particular, are intelligent and organized, making them especially dangerous.

• Carrion Crawlers: Huge, worm-like creatures that crawl along the sewer walls and ceilings, carrion crawlers feed on the dead and dying, paralyzing their prey with their venomous tentacles.

Mystical and Magical Phenomena

Certain areas of the sewers are infused with strange and potent energies, creating pockets of magical phenomena.

Temple Way in the Westerpark District:
The sewers beneath Temple Way are particularly notorious. Here, cascading divine energy from the temples above has warped the very fabric of reality. The air shimmers with strange lights, and the walls pulse with a faint, otherworldly glow. The creatures that inhabit these tunnels are often twisted and mutated by the divine magic, becoming even more dangerous and unpredictable.

Ancient Structures:
The sewers occasionally intersect with ancient ruins, such as ziggurats and the Hall of Records. These places are steeped in forgotten magic and history, guarded by ancient traps and haunted by the restless dead. The deeper one ventures into these places, the more reality seems to fray, with time and space warping in unpredictable ways.

Summary: The sewers of Seregon are more than just a means of disposing of waste—they are a shadowy underworld filled with danger, mystery, and strange inhabitants. From the twisted tunnels of the Westerpark Districtto the ancient ruins that intersect with the sewers, delvers must be prepared for anything. Whether seeking hidden treasure, secret paths, or simply trying to survive, those who enter the sewers of Seregon may find themselves in a place where the lines between the mundane and the magical blur, and where death lurks around every corner.