The Surface of the planet Earth, refers to the regions of the Age of D'ni where the native humans thrived. It remained inaccessible to the D'ni people for the most part of their history, who occupied a Cavern deep below the surface.
Early in their history, the D'ni (perhaps the Guild of Miners[1] although the Guild could not have existed back then) built a ventilation shaft network in order to provide the Cavern with fresh air. This was the only known time that the D'ni reached the surface, and there were rumors that some fled there, preferring the surface than the hard life inside a cavern.[2]
Before or around 9336 the D'ni Council consented with the decision to reach the Surface and establish official contact with the surface dwellers, although the project was eventually abandoned.
After the Fall of D'ni, ti'ana and little Gehn escaped to the Surface.[3] It's possible that some D'ni such as Yahtair also fled the plague to the surface.
Gehn as well as Atrus were raised and lived in the surface in their early years. Gehn returned to abandoned D'ni, and years later returned to the surface to take his young son Atrus with him.[4]
After his failed attempt to restore D'ni,[5] Atrus ascended to the surface, returning for the first time after decades, and established his new home, Tomahna, not far from the Cleft he was raised.[6]
The Cleft[]
The Cleft in southern New Mexico
Identified on KIs as D'ni - Riltagamin, literally meaning "D'ni - Unknown," the identifier for all areas the D'ni were unaware of. The Cleft is a fissure of volcanic origin near a dormant volcano. It is near the exit of the Great Shaft.
After the downfall, Anna took her son Gehn with her to the Cleft, and established a living area, surviving through the careful capture of water and occasional trading with passing caravans. After Gehn's departure, Anna lived here with her grandson, Atrus, until he was taken away by Gehn, his father, to D'ni. The novel Myst: The Book of Ti'ana implied the Cleft was somewhere in the Middle-east, near an evidently Arab or Ottoman city called Tadjinar, but Uru: Ages Beyond Myst, considered more canonical than the books, puts the Cleft in the desert near Eddy County, New Mexico, United States, on the property of Jeff Zandi. Due to the conflicting references, it could be up to debate. Its location suggests that the cavern system that supports the D'ni empire is somehow connected to the Carlsbad Caverns.
Tomahna[]
View from Atrus' house on Tomahna to outside desert
Tomahna is the new home of Atrus, Catherine and their daughter Yeesha. It is located within a few miles of the Cleft, but in a geographically distinct area. Tomahna houses the new library of Atrus, and is the third home of Atrus and Catherine, after Myst Island and Chroma'Agana. A small part of Tomahna is seen in Myst III: Exile. In Myst IV: Revelation, the player is able to explore Tomahna in its entirety.
The Lodge[]
The Lodge was the home of Anna and her father, during their days as surveyors of the area near the Cleft.
Bahro Caves[]
Not part of the D'ni empire, the Bahro Caves (also known as Rudenna) are important to the Bahro (beast-people). Explorers have speculated that they may be the original homes of the Bahro, but there is no other evidence to support this. The Bahro Caves play an important role in the game Uru.