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Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: Daddy Warpig on September 11, 2013, 12:23:12 PM

Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: Daddy Warpig on September 11, 2013, 12:23:12 PM
The Son Doong (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/07/son-doong_n_3873341.html) cave complex in Vietnam. "It's over 5.5 miles long, has a jungle and river, and could fit a 40-story skyscraper within its walls."

Copiously illustrated with photos.

(Also, cave pearls? Too cool. Perfect natural magical items.)
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: Exploderwizard on September 11, 2013, 12:42:15 PM
Quite often, fantasy cannot come as close to being as awesome as reality. :)
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: The Traveller on September 11, 2013, 02:08:07 PM
That is cool. I feel an overwhelming urge to go in there and find things to kill and take their stuff.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: Frundsberg on September 11, 2013, 03:45:15 PM
Awesome! I only miss the dinosaurs and giant mushrooms.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: Spellslinging Sellsword on September 11, 2013, 04:42:06 PM
Wow, the pictures of people in there make it look really massive and fantasy like.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: fuseboy on September 11, 2013, 08:55:00 PM
It's fantasy fucking vietnam!

Somebody had to say it.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: Ravenswing on September 11, 2013, 09:28:18 PM
Never mind gaming, those are just plain some awesome photos.  Thanks for posting the link.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: Bill on September 12, 2013, 09:04:39 AM
There must be Drow there somewhere.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: jibbajibba on September 12, 2013, 09:18:57 AM
Cool I needed a reason to visit Vietnam.

I'll arrange somethign next spring I think. Cambodia and Thailand left this year and Skiing in Japan next Feb but Vitenam looks like a good bet for Easter.

thanks.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: mcbobbo on September 12, 2013, 12:13:11 PM
Note how the basic energy economy under there is still fueled by the sun. I always made that case about the Underdark, too.  "Some light gets in".
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: Daddy Warpig on September 12, 2013, 05:30:11 PM
QuoteThanks.
You're very much welcome. I thought it was a cool story, and on-topic for the forum, so I wanted to share. I'm glad people found it inspiring and interesting.

(And I hate Jibba, just a little, for being able to actually go there. Damn you, sir, damn you.)

I've been updating my Geekery blog daily since January, this is basically one of my blog posts. (Actually, it's exactly one of my blog posts, that'll go live on Saturday.) So, if I find anything else on topic — like my previous post about the chained library at Zutphen (http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=26554), which was also well-received — I'll definitely post it.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: Sacrosanct on September 12, 2013, 05:41:21 PM
Quote from: jibbajibba;690478Cool I needed a reason to visit Vietnam.

I'll arrange somethign next spring I think. Cambodia and Thailand left this year and Skiing in Japan next Feb but Vitenam looks like a good bet for Easter.

thanks.

Good luck.  There are only 250 or so permits to visit the cave, and they're pretty much all spoken for already.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: jibbajibba on September 12, 2013, 08:32:00 PM
Quote from: Sacrosanct;690688Good luck.  There are only 250 or so permits to visit the cave, and they're pretty much all spoken for already.

It's SE asia though so we will see what money can achieve. Looks like a 6 day trip is $3K. The harder part will be the argument with the wife, as she is swayed neither by money, common sense nor pleading :)

I have a mate though who was a fanatical caver and cave diver and he has built himself a place out in Vietnam so I might have a word see who he knows.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: Rincewind1 on September 14, 2013, 08:37:20 PM
I wonder how much cash'd be needed to have a group paint themselves with black bodypaint and dye their hair white, for a full blown Drow LARP.
Title: Real World Underdark
Post by: RPGPundit on September 16, 2013, 11:16:36 PM
Its really quite amazing.