I'm planning on running a fairly short campaign in a few weeks which will put the players as a group of hive gangers instead of acolytes.

The whole idea was just something I spit balled to a few of my friends and they all expressed enthusiasm and wanted an open world that they could just try to come out ontop.

So my biggest challenge is coming up with an open world Under hive. Since there is so much fluff on it I'm sticking to Desoleum, but I will be designing my own under hive settlement for the setting.

In an effort to reduce the logistical nightmare of building this world for them to try to conquer, I'm going to try to rip off the political system of the Holy Roman Empire for the settlement.

ie Undergangs swear allegience to the Overgang and must join them to repel outside threats like mutants and Arbites, but are otherwise autonomous and free to all kill each other. When the current

"OverChief" dies the five Elector Gangs (Who will probably be called the 'lector thugs or something to make them sound less regal) vote to see who will become the new Overchief.

The game will pick up upon the death of the last Overchief, thus giving the players a goal (force the Electors to vote for them), and giving me a way to predict what they will try to do.

But I'm looking for some help from the community to actually build my settlement, I'm thinking a big cluster of buildings around the Hive's Spine, but I'm not totally sold.

Anyone have any interesting ideas for an underhive setting? I'm looking for everything, characters, locations and aesthetics.

As an additional note, one of my players wants to add another element. It will be a bit of a challenge, but I think it will be really cool.

Specifically, one player wants to play an Arbites who is a dirty cop and rolls with the gang once in a while. ie after gang activities he goes back home.

I'm not going to let him be the only one who "goes home" since all the players live here after all. So I also need to be able to flesh out the civilian world a bit.

Here's some inspiration: Confrontation

Confrontation was a GW that would eventually become Necromunda. If you have acces to them old white dwarfs they are in 130-131 and 133 or you can find them here: https://www.scribd.com/doc/88933093/40K-RT-Confrontation-Rules

Ignore the rules bit, but the articles have some great background stuff on hive city (Necromunda in this case)

I hope that is helpfull to you. I'll post some of my own ideas next, but first I gotta come up with stuff.

I'd have a sort of underhive colloseum. Ok, every underhive has hundereds of fighting pits, but this is the real big one: Owned by the overchief, this thing is easily the size of a modernday stadium. This is not for" two men enter one man leaves" combat, here entire gangs take on other gangs for the thrill of the audience and (more importantly) for gaining power! (Win a tournament and your gang could become "favourites" of the overchief)

The arena itself is vast and can contain booby traps, pits, etc. Maybe it can be flooded with gunk or mutant beasts be let loose amongst the fighters.

I'd have a sort of underhive colloseum. Ok, every underhive has hundereds of fighting pits, but this is the real big one: Owned by the overchief, this thing is easily the size of a modernday stadium. This is not for" two men enter one man leaves" combat, here entire gangs take on other gangs for the thrill of the audience and (more importantly) for gaining power! (Win a tournament and your gang could become "favourites" of the overchief)

The arena itself is vast and can contain booby traps, pits, etc. Maybe it can be flooded with gunk or mutant beasts be let loose amongst the fighters.

Love it. Especially the mutant beasts. The whole thing just screams for a Minotaur mutant to be in there somewhere.

Great idea!

thanks! I was having visions of champion gladiator full of muscle grafts combat drug tubes, two chain axes and the World Eaters symbol branded in his flesh. (just to add some mysetry and make the players worried)

For the civilian areas, the hab blocks and stuff: I always see those as Metropolis meets Blade Runner meets the worst areas of of NY and Detroit* dialed up to 11. Police precincts like small fortressess, markets in back alleys, grey cramped dirty hab towers.

thanks! I was having visions of champion gladiator full of muscle grafts combat drug tubes, two chain axes and the World Eaters symbol branded in his flesh. (just to add some mysetry and make the players worried)

That would be a good hook, the players learn they will be going up against him, but also learn that there is something supernatural about him. Could be an interesting thing to try to investigate before the match starts.

If you are into old silent movie era cinema you might want to check out Metropolis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1kxfiY_1DA

Oh and the gaunt's ghosts novel "Necropolis" by Dan Abnett is a good read if you can find it.

Now me personally I've always been a huge spyrer gang fan. You know, the rich kids with the hy tech armor who come to the underhive to "play". Wich reminded me of this old comic:

Those monsters are remote controlled cyborg bodies. A bunch of remote controlled mutant murder servitors. Wouldn't that becool to spring on your players (assuming they are tough enough.)?

I'm also thinking of having a number of prebuilt "jobs" they could learn about.

ie find a lost elector sigil in the depths of the hive, perform a heist to steal ten million thrones from a wealthy noble. Generally a few different fleshed out adventures ready to go in case they are needed.

Now me personally I've always been a huge spyrer gang fan. You know, the rich kids with the hy tech armor who come to the underhive to "play". Wich reminded me of this old comic:

Those monsters are remote controlled cyborg bodies. A bunch of remote controlled mutant murder servitors. Wouldn't that becool to spring on your players (assuming they are tough enough.)?

I was going to build a random encounter chart. This definitely makes it in.

Go to warehouse 13: guard these boxes labeled "experimental earth" untill releaved and you get your thrones... Oh and don't look in the boxes!"

Now wait for how long it takes for your players to start looking inside.

Some of the boxes should contain booby traps. (If you have any veteran Necromunda players in your group they might remeber about that! )

I guess each elector gang has it's own theme that's reflected in their teritory they control. Like back in the old game the Goliaths were the big dudes who owned lots of smelting plants and steel mils and forges deep in the underhive...

Or maybe they are a bit more subtle, like the houses in game of thrones.

Maybe you can have a gang of ex PDF soldiers/ returned guard who are very pro imperium with aquilla tatoos all over the place and they favor (war)hammers. And another gang can have a reputation for being sneaky bastards and have snake symbols everywhere. (#totallynotAlphalegion) Or a gang who are the descendants of a former hive noble who centuries ago had to flee with his retainers into the underhive (why? it's a mystery! And up to you!) Such a gang would see themselves as the rightfull rules of the underhive.

Oh and if you wanna scare your players: Introduce a underhive gang who shave their heads bald and coat their bodies in purple and blue warpaint.: Then sit back and watch them check for genestealers everywhere they go.

The gang has nothing to do with the genestealers of course. But your players don't need to know that.

Early in my DH campaign, I had a lot of the action revolve around a hive city squatter neighborhood (named 'Z-Town' due to its shape: a dog-legged thoroughfare) that marked the transition point between the hive proper, with strict law enforcement and modern conveniences, and the dangerous, entirely lawless underhive. Hence I always had easy access to whatever the story required that episode. Need an expensive piece of gear? Catch the transit tube at the entrance to Z-Town for a quick trip to the Highmarket- but try not to attract the attention of the local Enforcers. Need an ominous location for a no-holds-barred shootout? Just wind your way through the shabby tents at the Low End of Z-Town and you will find eventually yourself in the trackless ruins of the Underhive.

As people have mentioned, Necromunda is a perfect source of information on life in an Underhive. The big thing that I always remember is that an Underhive houses the scummiest of the scum in the entire hive. You have degenerates, heretics, mutants, gangers, death cults, rich upper hivers hunting for sport, strange creatures, and possibly even aliens. You can quite literally have an Al Capone type ganger crime lord with his 'family' while another area of the Underhive has a bunch of crazies that would fit in quite well in Mad Max.

A chemical sludge lake or deposit would fit nicely in an Underhive as well as whatever other environmental disasters and toxic dumps that you wish to throw in. Combine that with a Mutant King that wishes to conquer the Underhive and you can have some real interesting challenges for your players.

As people have mentioned, Necromunda is a perfect source of information on life in an Underhive. The big thing that I always remember is that an Underhive houses the scummiest of the scum in the entire hive. You have degenerates, heretics, mutants, gangers, death cults, rich upper hivers hunting for sport, strange creatures, and possibly even aliens.

... and zombies!

Not every hive has had contact with the zombie plague, so it's not like they are mandatory, but... come on zombies!

As people have mentioned, Necromunda is a perfect source of information on life in an Underhive. The big thing that I always remember is that an Underhive houses the scummiest of the scum in the entire hive. You have degenerates, heretics, mutants, gangers, death cults, rich upper hivers hunting for sport, strange creatures, and possibly even aliens.

... and zombies!

Not every hive has had contact with the zombie plague, so it's not like they are mandatory, but... come on zombies!

Did someone say zombies...?

Everything is better with zombies

Everything is better with zombies

it sure is!

Okay, some updates on what I have so far:

The settlement:

Spine City

In a massive open chamber of the Underhive a wretched collection of plasteel and wood clings to the side of Desoleum's Spine. It's filthy districts, called clusters grow like fungus off of their host. For many, Spine City is the first stop upon entering the Underhive as it borders the last Sanctionary outpost in the lower hive. Spine city is a microcosm of Desoleum proper, although few carry oath cogs, the denizens of spine city swear their own oaths to the many gangs which populate the city. Among the numerous petty undergangs are the five Elector Gangs of Spine city, a title which is held so long as they hold their Elector sigil. Above them is the Underking of Spine city, a powerful gang leader who was chosen by the electors to protect the city from outside threats. Gangs in the city are free to operate as they will, so long as they answer the Underking's call to arms against any outside threat.

The four Clusters

Each cluster in the city will have a different feel and a separate list of random events.

The Industrial Cluster

Massive vertical foundries line the top of spine city. Travel here is hard, reliable transport in the form of shuttle craft being held only by prominant gangs in the area. For others, especially workers, this means that they must climb anywhere they mean to go. The sheer impossibility to move is what stops the Sanctionaries from establishing a presence in the City. Those who are not strong enough to climb in this district are held as landed serfs and treated with disdain.

Notable locations

• The Rope Guild - Civilians and sometimes vigilantes who guide outsiders travelling to the cluster. Although most gangs attack guild men on sight, the rope guild is a thriving organization filled with clever and adventurous members.
• The Cogworks - A massive complex which supplies free power to the city. The complex is the HQ of the Cogworks tech gang, and none truly know how they generate so much power. The mystery is especially strange since no one has ever seen any form of fuel being brought inside the Cogworks.
• ???

The Acid Moors

There is little in the way of floor underneath Spine City, instead the bottom of the chamber is filled by a lake of toxic run-off. Despite horrid conditions, and a near ubiquitous disease called "the Acid Cough", there are great riches to be found here. Most people in this cluster rely on a native animal, the Moorcrab, for survival. Moorcrab meat can be processed into a surprisingly delicious meat when treated correctly. Moorcrab shells are often used in the construction of "Underships", which can sail upon the Acidic sea with little to no difficulty.

Notable locations

• Razor Angel HQ - The Razor Angel HQ is a hastily built set of walls and fences which surround several dozen impossibly complex water purifiers. These purifiers are irreplaceable, being capable of turning toxic sludge into pristine drinking water.
• Knotbeard's Apothecary - Although the old acid sailor, with one eye and a Plasteel leg, might seem a bit silly, he is also the greatest Apothecary in the Moors. His stories about his origin are clearly lies, but he clearly possesses a mastery over the local resources.
• ???

The Ring Cluster

Perhaps the only cluster which could be thought of as aesthetically pleasing, the ring cluster is a massive rockrete ring which surrounds the middle are of Spine City. This cluster contains the Over Chief's palace, and serves as the governmental seat and a mustering ground for the Over Chief's military might.

Notable Locations

• ???

The Glitz Cluster

???

Notable Locations

• ???

Edit: Changed the Lower reaches to be the Acid Moors. Added the Ring Cluster and the Glitz Cluster.

The Elector Gangs

Cogworks - Tech Gang

Based in the Industrial cluster, Cogworks is primarily made up of basic tech gangers with little real skill or intelligence. Their real power comes from the brilliance of Vantice Kaine, a Heretek who came to Spine city a little over a decade ago and quickly came to prominence when he began to supply free energy to the populace. His motives were not philanthropic and he soon started leveraging his power plant for his own benefit. It wasn't long until he had built up a massive following of tech gangers and managed to forcibly take an Elector sigil.

Gang secrets: In truth Vantice specializes in harnessing warp energies. Thus, the entire city run on warp generators - a secret that the Inquisition is beginning to take notice of.

Any who discover this secret find themselves hunted by Vantice's elite Cog Guardians, who wield volatile warp tainted weapons.

Dandy Longlegs - Cloud Boys

The Dandy Longlegs take their name from their headquarters - a massive spider-like walking vehicle which clings to the side of the spine and can quickly scurry anywhere it needs to. Rumor has it that a cloud boy purchased it centuries ago from offworld and somehow had it transferred to Spine city at great expense. Members of the gang spend great fortunes on expensive vehicles and love racing more than anything else.

Gang secrets: The Dandy Longlegs live to race, the faster the opponent the better. Their leader, Lucilla Danehardt, is something of a hero to the Longlegs, in conjunction with sponsorship from the faceless trade Lucilla has frequently participated in a cross species drag race, referred to in Gothic as "The Dervish Circuit". The circuit is held every six years by a mysterious Avian species who are only known as the hosts, the races are held on a massive desert planet which is assumed to be their home world. Orks, Eldar and dozens of unknown species are known to make an appearance at these races which have gained a savage reputation.

Razor Angels - Fleshcutters

The Razor Angels are the latest in a long line of gangs to have occupied the Archeotech purifiers down in the Acid Moors. Most know better than to fight a gang that can shut off the water at any time. Past gangs have extorted the various factions for coin, yet the Razor angels take a different approach, taking children instead. This ensures that they are always the most numerous gang in Spine City. The Razor Angels claim to have come from deep down in the underhive, fleeing from an unknown foe of unfathomable power.

Gang Secrets: The Razor Angels idolize a serial murderer known as "The Moorside Slasher" who has terrorized the cluster for nearly thirty years. All Razor Angels would claim this individual to be their leader, but in truth they have never found this elusive figure. The Angels keep their Elector Sigil locked away, hoping to gift it to the slasher should he/she ever be found.

Edit: Added the Dervish Circuit and the Razor Angels.

Dabdy longlegs- man I like that name!

Secrets: Once raced against a dark eldar raiding party!

I imagina it went something like this: hidden webway portal opens in the under hive. A Deldar raiding party with lots of wyches and hellions starts doing their kill maim abduct thing until some dandy longlegs' juve dieing words are " w-would have beaten you if it waz race!" que the deldar challenging them to a race to the death trough the underhive (and maybe a few laps trough the webway). Because, why not take on some monkeigh scum whne you think you can win right?

How did it end? maybe the gang won and teh deldar buggerd off or they won and still got killed... or maybe the racers went trough a webway portal that then closed behind them and none of those were ever seen or heard of again.

Dabdy longlegs- man I like that name!

Secrets: Once raced against a dark eldar raiding party!

I imagina it went something like this: hidden webway portal opens in the under hive. A Deldar raiding party with lots of wyches and hellions starts doing their kill maim abduct thing until some dandy longlegs' juve dieing words are " w-would have beaten you if it waz race!" que the deldar challenging them to a race to the death trough the underhive (and maybe a few laps trough the webway). Because, why not take on some monkeigh scum whne you think you can win right?

How did it end? maybe the gang won and teh deldar buggerd off or they won and still got killed... or maybe the racers went trough a webway portal that then closed behind them and none of those were ever seen or heard of again.

As much as I would love to take credit for the gang names, I'm just lifting some of the names from the book and fleshing them out haha! I am very happy with what I came up with for the Dandy Longlegs though!

I just updated the post with a bit of progress on world building. I liked your idea of a race against Aliens, but I adapted it into something which the players might be able to participate in should they be inclined to drag race.