Underground Big City

[AwesomeOcelot]

Perhaps a city built on top of the remains of another?

 

Like Tarant or Ankh-Morpork?

[JFSOCC]

maybe we could make it a more general question, since everyone seems so happy to put their ideas here (and that's awesome)

Not "Do you like this underground big city idea" but rather, "what cool ideas do you have for a big city"

I like most suggestions I've seen so far, though some have problems that have been pointed out.

 

It might not fit the game world, but I enjoyed the "City of Union" as described in the DnD epic level classes rulebook. (I hope some of you know what I am referring to)

[Kevadu]

I like cities that make some sort of sense, and that's always been a problem with underground cities. Even in a fantasy setting I want to be be able to answer questions like "why would anyone build a city there?" and "what do they eat?", and that's hard to do for underground cities. It just seems enormously impractical without any sort of benefit. Cities require food, first and foremost. And it's hard to grow food where there's no sun. But more than that, what's the point of making your city underground? If your setting can't answer those questions, don't make an underground city just because you think it's neat.

 

Making it at the bottom of a massive dungeon makes even less sense. What do people live on there? They can't even trade without the outside world for food and stuff.

[rjshae]

Here's a variant of an idea I worked on at one time:

 

The underdark being the dangerous place that it is, from time to time there are groups of refugees fleeing a mass atrocity by one villainous race or another. Naturally they seek a safe harbor in some remote, inaccessible corner where they can build a new life. Such groups founded a settlement called Underfalls. It is situated underneath a subterranean river that falls over a precipice, drops several hundred feet to form a thundering waterfall. The original settlers dammed up and re-routed the river so that they could dig out a safe haven in the rock. After the first chambers and tunnels were dug out, the dam was removed and the waterfall restored. Thereafter, entry to the settlement was gained by tilting a large rock slab at the entrance, which redirects the falling water sufficiently so that wagons and pedestrians can make their way inside under the watchful eye of the well-equipped guards.

 

The natural defenses of the settlement, combined with its relative inaccessibility, have indeed made the place a secure haven, and many diverse creatures have now made it their home. The settlement has expanded into a large town by industrious miners, who have dumped the rock debris further down the river channel and created a deep pool that serves as an additional barrier. Aquatic allies of the townfolk have made this pool their home, and add to the defenses. The female leader of the town is a potent battlemage who rules with a firm but fair hand. (In the original, I had her as a half-dragon.)

 

The influence of the place has started to expand into the neighboring tunnel regions, and potential threats have begun to stir...

 

Just having a little fun.

[TCJ]

No, please not again. We had a Drow underground city in BG 2, that' not an innovation.

 

We need another of those

 

The only good thing about a drow city is that you can slaughter the population and nobody cares. Well, the drow do, but it's not like they'll live to complain about it.

[Kai]

I'd prefer a giant city made by dwarves on top of a giant mountain, mainly on a plateau. Or in the middle of a forest. If P:E is gonna twist the general fantasy concepts, dwarves living underground, elves in magical cities (including in the trees) and human cities in general is something that's been done way too much.

[Hiro Protagonist II]

No underground city. I couldn't imagine a city like Baldurs Gate or Athkatla being underground. It would look out of place.

[Volourn]

"We had a Drow underground city in BG 2,"

 

That was no city.

 

 

"No underground city. I couldn't imagine a city like Baldurs Gate or Athkatla being underground. It would look out of place. "

 

That silly talk. Some of the most beautiful cities in fantasy are dwarf based udnerground. Absolutely sexy. And, real drow cities are also superbly crafted. Human cities are boring in comaprison and elves deserve no cities because they are tree huggers.

 

 

"Apart from the fact no game has managed to make it anything other than dark and dreary. "

 

That's not true. DA's underground city was beautiful. Just as good lookinga s Athkatla or Baldur's Gate. It wa sjust less populated but that can be rectified.

 

Dwarven cities are sexy.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Volourn

[Eryss]

I'd probably most pull for an Aumaua city. Unique races usually have unique cities. We don't know much about Aumaua yet, but they'd probably be the best chance for a really unique city. Aumaua are a coastal/island based race that's larger than humans. I don't think I've heard of a race quite like that before. I'd be interested to see what an island city with large buildings would be like.

 

The only other unique race that we've been told about are the Orlan, but from the description, they don't sound like they'd have any cities, let alone big ones.

[Blazing Hero]

An underground city would feel kind of bland. Now a flying city on the other hand....

[Oerwinde]

I like cities that make some sort of sense, and that's always been a problem with underground cities. Even in a fantasy setting I want to be be able to answer questions like "why would anyone build a city there?" and "what do they eat?", and that's hard to do for underground cities. It just seems enormously impractical without any sort of benefit. Cities require food, first and foremost. And it's hard to grow food where there's no sun. But more than that, what's the point of making your city underground? If your setting can't answer those questions, don't make an underground city just because you think it's neat.

 

Making it at the bottom of a massive dungeon makes even less sense. What do people live on there? They can't even trade without the outside world for food and stuff.

 

This was my problem with both the Richard Donner Krypton and Edoras in the LOTR movies. Krypton was a barren rock without atmosphere, how would an advanced civilization develop there? And Edoras was built on a hill in the middle of nowhere with rocky hills around it and the nearest water source several miles in the distance. Terrible land for hunting or farming and way too far from water. There is a reason most major cities are on rivers.