The Gloomstrands

The Gloomstrands are not easily defined on a map, for they are not land nor water, but the sinewy, subterranean network that binds the sprawling Gloomfungus colonies beneath the Iron-Grip Mountains. Think of them as the roots of a vast, unseen forest, or the veins of a slumbering beast, pulsing with a faint, phosphorescent light. These strands, composed of tightly interwoven mycelial threads, are more than just conduits for nutrients; they are pathways for Auric Resonance, conduits for whispers, and perhaps, even the senses of something vast and unknowable residing within the deep earth. The elusive The Weaver may even use them to see the world above.

Geography is irrelevant when speaking of the Gloomstrands. They permeate everything, weaving through rock and soil, tunneling beneath rivers and caverns. Their tendrils probe every crevice, every forgotten chamber. However, certain areas exhibit a higher concentration of strands, particularly near sources of potent Auric Resonance, such as the Silent Forges, the Aetherium Fount, or the ruins of the Lost City of Umbral. These nodes become focal points for the fungus's growth, creating vast, interconnected networks that can span miles. The Crimson Cartographers avoid mapping the Gloomstrands, as they are constantly shifting, undermining the reliability of their maps.

While the strands themselves are uninhabited, their presence drastically alters the surrounding environment. Creatures adapted to darkness and damp, such as the Shadow-Goblins, thrive in these areas, feeding on the decaying matter and the subtle energy emitted by the fungus. They even plant the Runes of Null there. The Silent Monks of Durin's Peak, however, avoid these networks, viewing them as a corruption of the natural order, a perversion of the earth's life force. The network may have also contributed to The Great Unmaking.

The historical significance of the Gloomstrands is largely unrecorded, their existence dismissed as a mere curiosity by most surface dwellers. However, whispers persist of ancient dwarves who understood the strands' true nature, using them to communicate with the earth and draw upon its power. The Forgotten Smith, it is rumored, possessed the knowledge to manipulate the strands, shaping them to his will. It may even hold the key to defeating the Chitinous Swarm. Such secrets may be hidden within the Vault of Whispers. The Lost Pilgrims may have also used the strands to navigate the mountains. There is even a new species of creature, Gloom Weavers, who seem to manipulate the strands at will. One should never touch these filaments without the proper Resonance Gloves.