As more expeditions returned, they found that the draconids had been steadily carving out their own empire, with groups as far up as the mouth of the Underland entrance. This is apparently a very young species, as no pictograms exist of their origin outside of those in a recently captured Axibalán temple. Murals in the temple describe how the draconids were a creation of the Axibalán sorceresses from glittering, flying dragons but were banished from the empire and hunted mercilessly. The mural is not clear on the reason, but draconids are clearly devious in nature and fully capable of forming an organized assault. They have also somehow managed to discover the basic nature of metallurgy and some of our men have recently reported of battling draconids equipped with metal armor vaguely in the form of our own.

Draconids have been found at many sites with ancient artifacts and have been extremely difficult to dislodge. It is not known what these creatures would want with the artifacts as very few have been seen with any capability to use them, but it would be unwise to ignore their threat. They seem able to reproduce at an extraordinary rate and colonize areas rapidly.

The Draconid Legion is organized with a caste system, with the lower castes quite savage and incapable of more than simple communication. The middle caste is the draconid warriors, who are typically smaller in size, but are able to use advanced battle tactics and often wield metal weapons. The upper caste is comprised of the elder draconids, highly intelligent creatures that are resistant to most attacks due to their heavy scales and metal armor.

The Order of Yosoth has been whispered to have been studying many artifacts recovered from the Underlands and trying to decipher what part they will play in their apocalyptic vision of the future. Sources to be unnamed have indicated that the Order has vast funding sources, and have launched their own expeditions to capture ancient artifacts for their own nefarious agenda.

The rumors of esoteric magic and association with demons have recently been confirmed after the incident at Dunkelheim, where an unspeakable horror was contained and banished only by the powers of mages of the Order of Yosoth. It is not clear, though, if the Order was responsible for summoning what eventually destroyed the city block, but their activities portend a horrible end for all of humanity.

Their intentions are still difficult to predict, but what is clear now, based on accounts from those working the docks, is that the Order has procured a number of magnificent vessels for expeditions to the Underlands. The ships have begun boarding some of the most powerful sorcerers, occult scientists and demonologists that have been reputed to wallow in the depths of things most vile. Some dock workers speak in hushed voices of loading crates that emanate sounds of no animal they have ever heard, floppings and writhings that leave them white with fear. Others describe seeing lighting and hearing thunder when there are no clouds in sight, and glimpsing fantastic metal devices crackling with energy.

It is believed that the ships will arrive soon in the Underlands, carrying their unholy passengers and cargo. Those in the new lands must pray to their god to protect them from powers few can imagine.

The forest is neither entirely dark nor a forest in the true sense of the word, as the trees are actually a mixture of fungal and plant life in shades of blues, reds and purples. It has been theorized that the plant life absorbs the magnetic and ethereal energy that twists and courses throughout the land. There is enough of that energy to produce a low glowing light at all times, with bursts of brilliant colors during energy storms.

The inhabitants of the Sunless Forest are loosely organized and consist primarily of troglodytes, reptilian creatures with bird-like features and a propensity to ally with any powerful forces. Troglodytes speak in a sing-song manner, but have an uncanny ability to mimic languages and show surprising intelligence, making them uniquely suited as mercenaries for the highest bidder.

Other inhabitants of the Sunless Forest include giant birds, savage little kobbolts, disgusting giant humanoids called trolls by our men, and a race of tall insectoid beings called “Clal-Chk” by the troglodytes. The trogs utilize simple stone axes and spears made from the strange fungal trees but the enigmatic Clal-Chk weapons are actually living creatures that fire poisonous darts or spray out powerful acid.

The service of any of these creatures can be hired through negotiation with the wily trogs, who desire gold more than anything else.

Some have theorized that a tribe of natives, possibly those living in Aztatlán, discovered an underground network of roads and tunnels leading under the oceans and to a vast underworld named Mictlán.

Artifacts brought back from the Underlands have been found painted with scenes showing a second group splitting off from the main tribe, blossoming into a powerful empire headed by a queen who could channel the “energy of the gods” as they called it. The origins of this queen remain unknown but her descendants are surely more powerful and savage than any native tribe known to civilized man. The empire has expanded across most of the Underlands in a constant search for artifacts of their ancient gods.

The Axibalán Empire is ruled by sorceresses, tall and powerful, who handle streams of ethereal energy like conductors of a symphony. Few men are apparent in their society, but those that have been identified have been priests involved in the most blasphemous rites imaginable, ones that often involve the form of physical transmutation of man and beast. The frontline soldiers of the empire are the unholy spawn of these rites, mixtures of men and various bloodthirsty creatures that had lived ages ago on the surface and are still found lurking in the Underlands. While not armed with modern weapons, the raw power of these beastmen is enough to shatter most enemies. Combined with the magical ability of the sorceresses, the Axibalán forces are a difficult challenge to overcome.