Basalt Mines of Kell
The Basics
The great basalt mine of Kell has been abandoned for hundreds of years, but it’s still an often-discussed geographical location. Many stories hold that the mines are haunted, which is why the Kellens abandoned them. Others hold that the mine connects to a Nilroggi tunnel system and was closed off as a safety measure. Still others say that it leads to an entire world, much like our own, but located at the center of the earth. One colorful theory even holds that when Reyhue banished the Archdevil Astaroth, he imprisoned him at the bottom of the mine. No one knows for sure which, if any of these theories are true because all who have ventured into the mines to find out have vanished forever, never to be seen or heard from again. It seems unlikely that an innocent mine could be responsible for so many disappearances over such an extended period, so most people agree that something’s going on in the region, even if there are competing theories about what that might be. Whatever the real story behind the mine, one thing is certain: It is an area ripe for adventure and exploration!Political Situation
None. It’s an abandoned mine. It is inside Kell though, and Kell isn’t known for being warm and welcoming to outsiders, so unless you have a Barbarian in your party, or a super-talented “Face,” and you don’t mind doing a number of ‘favors’ for the Kellens as a prerequisite to learning the mine’s location and gaining safe passage to it, you’re probably not going to get anywhere near the place.Prominent People & Places
None. Again, it’s a freaking abandoned mine. Nobody hangs out there. At least, nobody you’d want to have tea with.Plot Threads
I have my own ideas about what’s going on with the mine, but you know what? Mystery is a good thing, so I’ll leave the particulars to your DM. Simply getting to the mines can be an adventure in its own right, and unearthing its long-held secrets could be the basis for an entire campaign. If it is the place where Astaroth is imprisoned, Warlocks in the service of Astaroth would find this angle, and this spot on the map to be of particular interest.Purpose / Function
The black stone once featured prominently in Kellen construction though when the mine was abandoned, that practice fell out of use. There lies the ruins of an ancient Basalt tower that far predates the Basin, probably going back to the time of the vast empire that the stories say the Kellens once ruled. What caused it to topple is anyone's guess at this point.
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