Dwarven Dungeons

Dwarven Dungeons was an undercity complex of Myth Drannor that served as a home for the dwarven population of the city along with some others in the years predating the Weeping War.

Interior
The Dwarven Dungeons extended under the city of Myth Drannor and ran three levels deep. The Dwarven Dungeons served as the primary home for the dwarves of Myth Drannor and was a massive thoroughfare of halls, shops, and homes. The Dungeons had many complex locks and hidden doors that guarded more valuable treasure against the scavengers that ruled the ruins after the fall. The underground complex consisted of the Main Halls and the Deep Halls, which laid 85 steps deeper down.

The entrance to the Main Halls was located in Stillwater Ruins was sealed by the word of power "Alahnmalyr" (the word of Mystra).

History
During the Weeping War of 711 DR to 714 DR, the Dwarven Dungeons were sealed using the glyphs and words of power by the survivors of the city's fall. Before that, wizards of Myth Drannor created one of many gates found in the ruins. The gate came to be known as the "Nightmare Gate" and was was opened in an attempt to repulse the invading Army of Darkness. The gates were never closed in time and overwhelmed the survivors, becoming one of the main sources of the undead infestation in the Dwarven Dungeons. Juliban Genshihir, the Wizard of Air, who was responsible for Channels of the Earthborn Wind functionality, perished during that time, and his body inside a coffin was left in the Deep Halls along with the enchanted gem that was used to deactivate the magical ventilation mechanism.

Many years before the mid–14 century DR, the young sorcerer Jarial and his lover Ozama were exploring the Dwarven Dungeons in search of elven magic. They had a fight and the young woman placed a curse on Jarial, trapping him in a rock, but alive and unable to move from his spot. The curse kept him alive and invulnerable to damage, magic, and death until he was freed by the heroes from Phlan in 1369 DR, with the sorcerer promising his aid in their quest.

By the late 1360s DR, the Dwarven Dungeons were a place of conflict with orcs, lizardfolk, the ancient undead, and the Cult of the Dragon feuding over territory.

In the, the heroes from Phlan made their way through the Dwarven Dungeons in an attempt to get inside the ruined Castle Cormanthor. Subsequently, they defeated the orcish chiefs Zud and Mol the Great who were the leaders of two of the tribes that resided within the ruins and were in conflict with each other. The heroes also aided the lost ormyrr Gebb and helped his clan, the Sharpsticks, to take back the area they'd come to call home. The same group assisted the ghosts of Elena and her lover Garras to restore the Lifespring Wells to their working order, destroying the golem that guarded them and helping the restless spirits reach their afterlife.

Inhabitants
Before 1369 DR, the Dwarven Dungeons were home for stronger creatures like alhoons and phaerimm until the Cult of the Dragon's occupation that year. The cult drove the stronger creatures out with the help of the dracolich Pelendralaar. The Cult itself kept their presence in the Dungeons mostly to the Halls of Light with regular expeditions into the depths, plundering for ancient artifacts.

During the Cult's reign, the Dungeons were home to undead, a few orc tribes, a clan of ormyrr, a lizardfolk tribe, and restless spirits of the people who'd perished in the Fall of Myth Drannor. A tribe of peaceful orogs claimed territory in the Halls of Light and stood their ground against the Cult's forces.

The orc chief Zud camped in the Main Halls' large open square, protected by his fellow orc shaman and an orc witch doctor. The chief of the tribe that opposed them was Mol the Great, who could be found on the same level.

The ancient ghasts Onglore and Inglore resided in their tomb further into the Dwarven Dungeons' Main Halls.

Elf ghosts of Elena and her lover Garras could be found haunting the Lifespring Wells of the Main Halls. The ghost of the last dwarven brewmaster was still around his Shrine of Hanseath.

A dark naga collector of magical necklaces named Preybelish resided in one of the rooms of the Main Halls. His lair was behind a door sealed with a word of power called the word of venom.

The Halls of Stone level of the dwarven dungeons was the territory contested by the lizardfolk led by Malgi Hi, an orog tribe, and the hordes of the undead creatures pouring out of the Nightmare Gate.

The angry specter that used to be the lockmaster of the Bedlam Prison could be found haunting the Deep Halls.

Vicious and terrifying arraccats nested in the Deep Halls and the Halls of Light.

Main Halls
The Main Halls contained living quarters and some of the Dwarven Dungeons' guest accommodations. The Main Halls were connected with stairs up to Stillwater Ruins, stairs up to the Halls of Stone, and stairs down to the Deep Halls. Locations here included:
 * Rhonglyn Rooms: a method of quick transportation between the areas of the Dwarven Dungeons in the days of old Myth Drannor. These rooms were located in the Deep Halls, Halls of Light, Main Halls, Halls of Stone, and Hall of Wizards. Each room held a pedestal with colored gems, each representing one of the other Rhonglyn Rooms in the complex.
 * Axehandle Inn: The main inn of the complex, located close to the surface by one of the main entrances to the undercity. Axehandle Inn was connected to the Tavern of Health with a secret door.
 * Tavern of Health: This tavern was known for its potent magically enchanted ales that retained their potency for many centuries after the city's fall. Each one of the huge casks of ale brewed here could magically enhance the imbiber's strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, or charisma.
 * Turgild's Square: The district of the Dwarven Dungeons centered on the lovely fountains of Lifespring Wells, along with other wells that provided the citizens with fresh water, healing, enchantments, and beauty. Turgild's Square laid to the west from the Central Ruins and led from the Great Hall to the area that was named the Lizardfolk Row after the city's fall.
 * Lifespring Wells: This was one of the beautiful fountains that could be found across the city of Myth Drannor, all part of a sophisticated water system guarded by an ancient golem called the Lifespring Guardian in the Deep Halls.
 * Dwarven Tombs: The dwarven necropolis also known as Hall of the Dead. In the center of it stood the Memory Stone, the enchanted red stone that stored memories of the dwarven funeral ceremonies and opened up a passage to the Deep Halls. A stone circle was built around the Memory Stone, indicating its significance. The Stone itself radiated the feelings of sadness and loss.
 * Well of Worship, Fountain of Earth, and Fountain of Health: These were part of the extended water network of Myth Drannor. All three were enchanted with benevolent magic.
 * The Great Hall: A large open plaza that greeted the guests of the undercity. It was the north-western part of the complex.
 * Stone Flower Halls: The central area of the Main Halls.
 * Bedlam Prison: A detention center for the residents and guests of the Dwarven Dungeons. The prison had a way down to the Deep Halls.
 * The Grand Avenue: A short but once richly decorated avenue that led to the Avenue of the Smiths and laid to the north from the Stone Flower Halls, the central part of the Main Halls level.
 * The Avenue of Smiths: The district that housed the Dwarven Dungeons' crafters. It was connected to the Stone Flower Halls to the southwest, the Grand Avenue to the west, and led to the area later known as the Lizardfolk Row in the south.

Halls of Stone
The Halls of Stone was a smaller level of the dungeons located above the Main Halls. This level housed the dwarven foundry. The Halls of Stone were connected via stairs down to the Main Halls, another stairway down leading directly to the Deep Halls, and stairs up to the Halls of Light. The direct passage to the Stillwater Ruins could be accessed from this level of the Dungeons.
 * Channels of the Earthborn Wind: Three of the large ventilation shaft mechanisms that allowed the Dwarven Dungeons to breathe with fresh air could be found in this level, while the rest of the Channels of the Earthborn Wind were located in the Deep Halls, and could be re-activated with the enchanted ruby of earthborn wind. Like many other seemingly mundane mechanisms, the air that was carried through these channels was enchanted with benevolent magics.
 * Rhonglyn Rooms: Another one of the rooms used for quickly teleporting between the locations within the Dwarven Dungeons.
 * Nightmare Gate: One of the gates created in the chaos of the Weeping War. It was one of the sources of the undead in the Dwarven Dungeons. The gate was sealed in 1369 DR.
 * Spinning Spire: One of the spinning spires connected to the Orrery on Speculum Grounds that allowed quick transportation between different locations of the old Myth Drannor.
 * Foundry: An ancient metal-casting facility run by the dwarves was located in the Halls of Stone.
 * Shrine of Moradin: Located near the Foundry on this level.
 * Shrine of Sharindlar: Located across the hall from the Shrine of Moradin.
 * Fountain Macabre: A curious magical fountain that stood dry. Once it was filled with naga blood, it produced the enchanted ring of naga's kiss.

Deep Halls
Appropriately named, the deepest part of the Dungeons was the location of the deepest cells of the Bedlam Prison, the oldest crypts, the area of dangerous magic disposal, and the infirmary. The heart of the Dwarven Dungeons' water and air mechanisms were located down here as well. The Deep Halls had an 85-step stairway that led up to the Main Halls' Bedlam Prison and Halls of Stone. A pathway led from the Deep Halls straight to the Omberdawn Villa, later known as Sullymarsh.
 * Ancient Crypts: The deeper part of the dwarven necropolis accessible via Dwarven Tombs in the Main Halls. This part of the tombs was ripe with traps and snares designed to dissuade would-be graverobbers.
 * Bedlam Prison: The prison stretched down to this level. The Deep Halls part of it was reserved for the worst dwarven criminals and was overseen by the lockmaster.
 * Rhonglyn Rooms: Another one of the rooms used for quickly teleporting between the locations within the Dwarven Dungeons.
 * Fountain of Stone (Lifespring Wells): The main part of a sophisticated water system guarded by an ancient golem, the Lifespring Guardian.
 * Channels of the Earthborn Wind: The main part of the magical mechanism could be activated by the enchanted ruby of earthborn wind. It was located in the Southern Dungeons of this level.
 * Infirmary: The dwarven hospital of the old Myth Drannor, taken over by the lizardfolk in 1369 DR.
 * Pyre of Silence: The magical bonfire that was used to dispose of dangerous magic.

Halls of Light
The Halls of Light served as the civic center for the dwarven community of Myth Drannor and was known as the "hospitality suites". This level had libraries, schools, and the city brewery. The Halls of Light was the top level of the Dwarven Dungeons. It had a long and dangerous direct staircase to the Deep Halls, four stairways leading to the Halls of Stone, and another to the Main Halls. This level had an exit to the surface through a damaged hallway that led to a cave opening the Stillwater Ruins. Another dungeon passageway ended in an exit to Windrider Glade.
 * Fountain of Life & Fountain of Poison: Two of the many enchanted fountains found throughout the ruins of Myth Drannor. The Fountain of Poison was filled with fast-acting poisoned water sometime before 1369 DR. The Fountain of Life retained its healing enchantments until one of the lizardfolk followers of Malgi Hi poisoned it in 1369 DR.
 * Tomb of Hachaam Selorn: The final resting place of the hero of the Weeping War in the Selorn family crypt.
 * Main Entrance & Hidden Doors of the House of Gems: Masterfully crafted hidden doors that were virtually undetectable and hid the passage to the House of Gems's tower, connecting the dwarven aboveground structure with their underground domain. To the east, across the hall from the hidden doors laid the main entrance to the House of Gems.
 * Shrine of Hanseath: The shrine to the Bearded One and the city's brewery that was maintained by the brewmaster Durlin in Myth Drannor's final years.
 * Rhonglyn Rooms: Another one of the rooms used for quickly teleporting between the locations within the Dwarven Dungeons.
 * City Records: Part of the Dwarven Dungeons that was used by the dwarven civic services.
 * Seal of Mythanthar: A magical monument was connected to the Statue of Mythanthar in front of the Speculum. Anyone who carried the Ring of Calling was able to teleport between two monuments.
 * Chess Room: A recreational room where residents of Dwarven Dungeons, including the brewmaster Durlin, gathered to compare wits in many a game of chess.

Appearances

 * Video Games
 * Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor