Heartcoil Deeps

The Heartcoil Deeps was a section of the Underdark beneath the Sword Coast North. Among those who lived aboveground, the Deeps were known as an unexplored place of constant conflict.

Description
The Heartcoil Deeps were a network of caverns that twisted in on themselves like a knot. The tunnels nearer to the surface were faintly lit by naturally luminescent moss, while the stones themselves glowed blue in the deeper caverns. Many cavern walls were adorned with the intricate carvings and artwork of a reclusive clan of stone giants.

The Deeps were a nexus for esoteric, arcane, and extraplanar powers and patrons eager to bestow dark gifts onto desperate or lost travelers.

Geography
The Heartcoil Deeps were located in the Northdark beneath Harvestshield Mountain, which was not far from Waterdeep. The tunnels which connected the Deeps to the surface also connected to Frostsilver Mines.

History
Prior to the late 15 century DR, explorers had never returned alive from the Deeps, however a few hand-drawn maps were recovered that depicted the knot-like structure of the caverns, leading to it receiving the name "Heartcoil Deeps". During this time, many travellers disappeared into the Deeps, including Bellorath, Elcharn, and Cielaro.

In the late 15 century DR, a group of mind flayers led by an ulitharid known as Qholillaroon arrived in the deepest reaches of the Deeps where a clan of stone giants dwelt. The mind flayers aimed to establish a colony, and so began changing the essential nature of the stones themselves, causing the rock to glow and rendering the area uninhabitable by anything but the most dangerous of Underdark monsters. This led to an exodus by stone giants, who fled toward the surface. In their haste, they clashed with the minotaur cult in Bellorath's domain and dislodged the cloakers who laired in the Deeps.

Open Lord Laeral Silverhand of Waterdeep sent a group of adventurers to investigate the Heartcoil Deeps after an unprecedented sighting of Kulnajriem on the surface, one the Deeps' notably reclusive stone giants. Confirming her suspicions, the adventurers soon determined that the stone giants were fleeing from their old home and had taken up temporary residence nearer to the surface. As they explored deeper, they encountered the many monsters which had been displaced by the giants' retreat. They also discovered journals and a map of the region left by Elcharn and Cielaro&mdash;a pair of lovers from Harvestshield Mountain who had famously disappeared into the Deeps&mdash;and slowly uncovered their sad fates.

Eventually, the adventurers encountered a mind flayer called Tholiqarn, whose presence led them to realize the extent of the threat. Knowing that they could not allow a mind flayer colony to take root so close to Waterdeep, they drove the mind flayers back into the deepest parts of the Deeps. Despite seemingly hopeless odds and an increasing feeling of disorientation as they pressed on, the adventurers eventually discovered the alien geometry and psychic crystal formations that marked the new mind flayer colony. Finally, they disrupted Qholillaroon's plot to become an elder brain, and slew it.

Inhabitants
The deepest parts of the Deeps were home to a clan of reclusive stone giants, including the artist Kulnajriem. This area was also home to dangerous monsters like otyughs.

Not quite as deep was the domain of Bellorath's cult, a group of minotaurs who preyed on Underdark travelers. The minotaurs territory overlapped with the hunting grounds of several umber hulks.

Nearer to the surface was the lair of a number of cloakers&mdash;brought together by a queen&mdash;whose leftover prey was known to draw the attention of swarms of carrion crawlers. This area was also patrolled by hostile stone golems created by wizards from Chauntea's Citadel to defend themselves against incursions from below.

Appearances

 * Video Games
 * Warriors of Waterdeep