Underhive Warhammer 40K Lexicon

Beneath the Hive Cities: A World of Darkness and Danger

The Underhive, a labyrinthine network of tunnels and caverns, lies hidden beneath the towering Hive cities of Necromunda. This forsaken realm is home to the desperate, the outcast, and the disinherited. Here, the laws of the Clan Houses and Merchants Guilds hold little sway, and the rule of the gun is supreme.

A Hazardous Environment

The physical structure of the Underhive is a maze of twisted tunnels, abandoned machinery, and rubble-filled caverns. The air is thick with toxic dust and noxious fumes, making every breath a hazard. The very foundations of the hives are cracked and unstable, creating vast, yawning chasms that threaten to swallow the unwary. In this unforgiving environment, only the hardiest of individuals can survive.

Settlements and Gangs

Despite the dangers, habitable pockets exist, fiercely contested by gangs for their valuable remnants of machinery and minerals. These settlements are often little more than simple holes and dens, protected by stockades made from debris and guarded by desperate fighters. Larger settlements, like Dust Falls and Dead End Pass, have their own order, with trading places, workshops, and services for travelers. Here, information is the most valuable commodity, and news of ore strikes and tunnel openings can lead to wealth and power.

The Badzones

Beyond the settlements lie the Badzones, areas of extreme danger where even the bravest of gangers fear to tread. These regions are home to monstrous creatures, born from millennia of toxic waste, and rival gangs that will stop at nothing to eliminate their enemies. The Badzones are also home to the Outlanders, individuals who have never been affiliated with a House and live outside the mainstream of Necromundan society.

The Hive Bottom

Deeper underground lies the ancient, abandoned hive bottom, marked by darkness, toxic fumes, and a labyrinth of crawl holes. Here, monstrous creatures dwell, preying on humans who dare to venture into their domain. The hive bottom is a place of legend, where hunters display their trophies, and the eerie howls of the creatures that dwell here haunt the Underhive.

Inhabitants of the Underhive

The discontented, the poor, and the outcasts naturally gravitate towards the Underhive. Here, they can find opportunities for advancement through strength, luck, and ruthlessness. The Underhive is a battleground for proxy wars among Clan Houses, with young gang members fighting for survival and a chance to move up in both status and physical location within the hive. Those who inhabit the Underhive are viewed as barely better than vermin by those living above, but they are a resilient and resourceful people, determined to survive and thrive in this unforgiving world.

Factions and Characters

The Underhive is home to a variety of factions and characters, each with their own agendas and motivations. The Merchants Guilds are the economic powerhouse of Necromunda, while the Palanite Enforcers are the law of the land. The Spyrer Hunters are children of Hive Nobles sent down to prove their worth by hunting in the Underhive, while the Bounty Hunters are licensed to capture or kill fugitives, criminals, and creatures for a bounty. The Ratskins are primitive natives of the Hive Bottom, and the Scavvies are diseased and ghoulish creatures that roam the Underhive. Hired Guns are mercenaries for hire, willing to take on any job for the right price.

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