Dar Kunor (dahr-KOO-nohr) is a vast subterranean network of interconnected caverns and tunnels, stretching beneath the entirety of Nora and forming a literal underworld where dark creatures take refuge.
Commonly referred to as Darkun or the underdark.
Levels
Nar-Voth (Upperdark)
Nar-Voth is the uppermost of the three regions—the "wilderness" of Dar Kunor. Most explorers of Dar Kunor are only familiar with this region. It is mostly composed of a series of cave networks connected by lengthy twisting tunnels. For a cave network to be considered part of this region, there must be a connection to the region of Sekamina below.
Sekamina (Middledark)
Below Nar-Voth lies the largest realm—Sekamina. This region consists of a vast underground warren of tunnels that span continents. Found here are also great underground rivers and lakes. Most of the entrances to Sekamina require traveling through Nar-Voth first, but it is believed there are exceptions.
Orv (Lowerdark)
The deepest realm of Dar Kunor is the mysterious and dangerous layer of Orv. Here, many immense caverns known as vaults host a wide array of underground oceans, caverns with jungles and artificial suns, entire nations of warmongering humanoids, and regions containing mountain ranges and vast deserts. Typically the denizens of upper Dar Kunor think of the vaults with the same sense of fear and wonder that surface folk do for them, thus only the absolute bravest of adventurers ever seeks out these deep subterranean worlds.
Regions
Caveheart
The Red Tunnels
Entrances
Just because a cavern or dungeon is deep does not mean that it is part of Dar Kunor. Most such places are simply natural or artificial caves that connect only to the surface and do not delve any deeper. In order to truly qualify, an underground location must possess connections to the greater system of tunnels and caverns of Nar-Voth or Sekamina.
Features and Environment
Inhabitants
Dar Kunor play host to as wide an array of creatures as the surface world. Some are intelligent and civilized, while others are bestial, savage, and primal. Throughout the three layers that make up the subterranean domain, one can find any number of settlements which rival their above-ground counterparts. Most of these are in the upper layers of Nar-Voth and Sekamina, but even some of the most deadly vaults of Orv are teeming with life.
The 'civilized' races that inhabit Nar-Voth include duergar, mongrelmen, troglodytes, and derro. Most of these races are relatively isolated, tribal, or small, with the exception of the duergar, who occupy a number of abandoned pre-existing dwarf cities.
In Sekamina are found grimlocks, ghouls, vegepygmies, aboleth-thrall skum, morlocks, svirfneblin, and drow. Despite the wide variety of humanoid races living here, the drow tend to be in control of the largest portion of Sekamina.
Inhabiting Orv are neothelids, urdefhan, illithids, gugs, gore weavers, and umbral dragons. Most of these creatures are isolated to specific vaults, although the urdefhans and illithids can be found in many places.