Technically, the Sky Market isn't part of the City Underground, as it exists on the surface and sprawls in great confusion around the Gates of Katabasis. The Sky Market occupies the ruins of the city that Katabasis grew from, and it runs all the hours of the day and night. If you just want to buy oddities or see strange sights, the Sky Market might be as far as you want to go. However, if you want to actually venture into the City Underground, you must proceed through the Gates of Katabasis.
The Gates of Katabasis are made of a greenish-gray metal, eighteen feet tall and ten feet wide. They are flung open and have been open for as long as anyone can remember. The hinges are rusted and if anyone tried to close the gates, they would fail. At worst, the gates would probably fall off of their hinges.
The road into Katabasis is wide enough for two carts to pass one another. The stone is worn smooth by countless feet. There is plently of light from the open Gates, but as the road turns, the light dims and you find yourself walking in twilight. Nervous newcomers can be easily spotted at this juncture, because they will usually produce a torch or a lantern or a light-spell.
The air is cool and somewhat musty. It smells of dust and earth. Tangles of petrified roots emerge, at random points, from the walls and ceiling of the corridor. Vulgar graffiti glows on the tunnel walls, painted in bioluminescent substances that you probably don't want to think too much about.
You turn another corner, and now you are in the dark. Sounds take on a weird echoing quality. If this is your first time venturing into Katabasis, taking the Downward Road, your palms might get clammy. You might start wondering. What things lurk in the dark? Who would choose to live down here? Why am I going to this place? Your stomach might be full of butterflies.
And then you turn the third corner and the Downward Road widens and you see the glow of lights and hear the familiar sounds of a city: traffic, voices, the thump of industrial machinery, music blaring from the darkness.
The road open, suddenly, surprisingly, into a wide subterranean cavern. Carts move along the stone streets, laden with all manner of wares, and the sidewalks are crowded with all manner of creatures. Some you recognize. Some you don't.
Welcome to the First Level of Katabasis, the City Underground.
Welcome to the Threshold.
The Threshold is the oldest, most staid, level of Katabasis. The paths depicted above are not the only paths through the Theshold. There are tons of sidestreets and alleys, lesser avenues and streets. However, they are mainly filled with the same kind of things you'd find in your average city or town. The "E" marks the entrance to the level, while the "X" marks the exit/descent to the next level.
Please note the presence of graves and monuments at intersections. This is a common theme in the oldest levels of Katabasis.
Also, please note that there is usually some kind of interesting situation/individual you can encounter at a level's exit point.
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