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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MerakSpielman" data-source="post: 1319370" data-attributes="member: 7464">Real caves "breath" a bit - rock is slightly porous, and there's always a way to the surface. Variations in air pressure create air current which, though slight, keep the air more or less breathable in all caves on earth (unless there's no surface access or some other toxic gas present). Oxygen is still replenished more slowly than on the surface, though, since you don't have plants to recycle the CO2. In a magical world, where you have tens of thousands of oxygen-breathing humanoids in a cave, you might have a magical version of fungus that recycles CO2 into breathable O2. The temperature is stable all year round, since the heating and cooling influence of the sun is virtually eliminated. The air-circulation serves more to equalize air temperature than to bring cold-hot air from the surface. I belive the constant temperature at the bottom of Carlsbad Caverns is around 55-60 °F - but that's going on memory from my visit there years ago. Food would be scarce down there. Fungi require moisture and nutrients to thrive. Most cities will be located next to a river or lake, since it's hard to dig wells, and probably have fungus-farms based on the river ecosystem. Underdark Druids probably have a Fungus Growth spell that can increase the yield of such farms substantially. Since there are no seasons, fungi can be grown year round. A tremendous volume of supplies for Underdark civilizations are probably imported from the surface as trade goods in exchange for mineral wealth. Clerics might spend a lot of time casting Create Food and Water to ease the expense of supporting their temples. Economy-wise, mineral wealth would be less valuable than it is on the surface, while such mundane goods as cloth, rope, leather, wood, paper, beer, spices, and any other product based on plant growth would be in great demand (leather isn't itself plant-based, but you need pastures for cattle).  It would be beneficial to have a rapid way to the surface for raids, trades, etc... Perhaps there's a few permenant teleportation circles set up? To steal an idea from Morrowind, Underdarkers might cultivate giant ants (who would have their own surface access) and harvest their eggs and larvae for food. Some ants collect a sugary liquid that could be used as honey, or brewed into liquor.  Cities would throw nothing away. Waste (i.e., sewer waste) would be collected and used as fertalizer. It doesn't take much to get a good, stable rat population growing. Underground lakes and rivers would be heavily fished - probably with nets strung across the entire width of the river to catch any edible thing that might have washed down from the surface. Goblinoids/Kobolds (and similar filthy species) probably eat other humanoids if they get a chance. With the plethora of evil races, and the scarcity of food, undead labor becomes attractive. Skeletons and zombies never tire, never talk back, can perform basic tasks, don't need sustenance, and can be pressed into service as shock-troops at a moment's notice. In fact, they'd probably be cheaper than slave labor, which is what the evil races are generally portrayed as using. Commonplace undead-raising also helps solve the problem of what to do with dead bodies when space is at a premium. Pack animals (for trade caravans, etc...) might include giant lizards and monstrous spiders.   Just a few thoughts! Hope I helped!</blockquote>

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