Lore24 Jan 15: The Spiderweb

The Spiderweb is the name locals have given the network of underground tunnels, caves, sewers, and animal dwellings under Nashat-Ippur. It started with the irrigation tunnels from the river Sem being built over, then the construction of sewer pipes from the temples and palaces made it commonplace to see people work underground. Less savory individuals soon realized that a large underground network could lead to a veritable explosion in smuggling opportunities, and so the first tunnels were dug. They were then joined by sewer maintenance tunnels, drained underwater caves, dwellings of the giant nutrias, and much more.

As operations expanded, people started tunneling under the necropolis on the other bank of the river too, adding cursed crypts and wandering undead to the things hard-working smugglers, on-the-run thieves, and the occasional fugitive needs to worry about while hiding underground. The forces of law enforcement and the temples tried and failed multiple times to put an end to the expansion of the Spiderweb and put a stop to the illicit and no doubt morally dubious dealings within, but lasting success has never been achieved.

As the shipping industry and long-range trade collapsed in Nashat-Ippur most of the workers moved on to more criminal enterprises, meaning that much of House Akamat’s shipping contacts moved on to become criminal contacts, a turn of events Shar Akamat is doesn’t mind much.

It is whispered that a strange being lives at the very deepest parts of the Spiderweb. Those that claim to have met them say that they wear voluminous dark robes concealing their entire body and face, and that the shapes moving under those robes don’t appear to correlate to any known body-plan they have seen. So far this being only seems to want to trade information, but who knows what designs they may have for the future, and what powers they may have to bring those designs about.

 Image by Kobitriki

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