Kukiri Chasm

Rumored to be the original of Dwarvenholme's legendary mines, this underground chasm is too deep and too dangerous to work in any fashion, even for the talented engineers and stonewrights of the dwarves. Eventually, or so the story goes, even Moradin was forced to concede the rich mines and quarries of the massive canyon were mined out, and too dangerous to work any longer. Only Moradin knows the truth to this story anymore, as the chasm and the town that served as the miners' home have been abandoned now for time out of mind. The dwarves say it is haunted by the ghosts of those who died working there...that hundreds of spirits crowd the old haunts and taverns of the Kukiri Chasm dig. Its reputation is so fearsome, in fact, that no dwarf willingly travels there, or anywhere in its immediate vicinity, anymore. The practice of banishing criminals to its depths was stopped generations ago, now; and defenestrating convicted felons by throwing them off the edge of the chasm is now no more than an old wives' tale-although it was true enough, at several points in the distant past.

Geology

This massive subterranean void is the result of overmining on a massive scale. Excavated for its rich deposits of copper, gold, tin, and mithral, the clever dwarves squeezed every last ounce of precious material from the ground, here. The mine's oft repeated collapse, and its inevitable subsequent expansion, grew the chasm to over two thousand, one hundred yards in depth, while reaching more than thirty-five miles in total length. It has a complex geological underpinning of metamorphic rock, including schists and gneisses, overlaid with sedimentary strata. It is located upon a stable continental craton; however the area is dissected by the Kukiri Fault, causing cracks in the bedrock, thus providing conduits to allow hydrothermal fluids to create the ore body, which had been encased in quartz and calcite.

Stability and Structural Integrity

This subsidence chasm is highly unstable in most of its sections, especially the upper regions which are primarily comprised of fractured limestone and sandstone. The lower galleries are somewhat more stable, but large overhangs still pose a substantial risk.

Hazards

Rockfalls

Rockfalls are frequent occurrences, particularly along the steep walls of the outer reaches, which are riddled with bore holes and exploratory shafts. These have made the walls of the chasm very unstable for spelunkers brave enough to risk the terrifying legends and lore surrounding the Kukiri Depths.

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Gameplay Translation:
While traversing the upper reaches, loud noises and sudden moves have the chance of triggering Rockfalls or mudslides. Anytime there is a missed ability check to climb any of the surfaces in the Kukiri Depths, make a DC15 Dexterity Saving Throw. Take 6d6 points of bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success.

Subsidence

Sinkholes and sudden, gaping crevasses are evident everywhere one goes in the depths of the Kukiri Chasm, and even the tiniest amount of seismic activity can trigger a disastrous tunnel collapse.

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Gameplay Translation:
Each hour travelling in the Kukiri Depths brings a small chance of seismic activity. Rolling a 1 on 1d20 means there is a collapse, and a sinkhole opens up underneath the party. Make a DC15 Dexterity Saving Throw, or suffer 6d6 points of Bludgeoning Damage, and make a DC12 Constitution Saving Throw. Failure of this Constitution Save means the character is trapped and suffocating. Success on the initial Dexterity Save means half damage, and avoiding the suffocation.

Air Quality

High levels of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide remain in many of the lower galleries and tunnels, causing a real concern about poisoning. Even the dwarves, with their vaunted fortitudes, cannot survive for long without mechanical intervention, and all of the air exchangers have been piles of rust for generations, now.

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Gameplay Translation:
When a character enters or begins their turn in a poisoned area, they must make a DC15 Constitution Saving Throw, or take 6d6 points of Poison damage, and begin to Suffocate. Suffocating creatures also have disadvantage on Ability Checks, Saving Throws, and Attack Rolls, and cannot cast spells requiring verbal components.

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Water Sources

The depths contain several water-filled depressions, including a deep quarry that is now known as the Crimson Lake. The deep red of the lake is caused by saturated carbon dioxide, and elevated sulfur dioxide levels. The lake is very dangerous, poisonous, and unavoidable if one is travelling through the Kukiri Depths.

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Gameplay Translation:
Bathing in the waters of the Crimson Lake is deadly. The first time a character enters the waters of the lake, they must make a DC12 Constitution Saving Throw, taking 6d6 points of damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. Each time a character begins its turn in the lake, they must repeat this saving throw. Each time they repeat this saving thow, the difficulty increases by 2 points.

Flooding

Each day spent traversing the Kukiri Depths brings risks, and one of those risks is flash flooding. Water flows downward from the surface through porous and fractured rock formations, collecting in the lower sections of the chasm, which can cause white-water flooding in some of the upper tunnels.

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Gamepley Translation:
Each day travelling in the depths brings the chance of a flood. Roll 1d20; on a natural 1, there is a flood. When caught in a flood, a character must make a DC15 Strength Saving Throw, or be swept away by the raging waters. If this happens, they must make a DC12 Dexterity Save to try to avoid obstacles; take 6d6 Bludgeoning Damage, or half as much on a successful save, and the character will be dumped into one of the deep lakes collecting water from the surface far above.

Unknown Occupants

Since the abandonment of the chasm, generations ago, many creatures have moved on into the conveniently dug burrows and hidey-holes that were seemingly pre-dug just for them. Umber Hulks are known to roam the lower caverns, and Purple Worms delve into the walls and floors of the chasm searching for gems. Ropers and Cloakers have, naturally, moved in; as well as pests such as Stirges.

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Gameplay Translation:
Three times a day while travelling through the Depths, there is a chance for a Random Encounter. Roll 1d20; if the result is a 1, there will be a Random Encounter. Consult the random encounter table, below:

The Ghosts of Kukiri Chasm The Dwarves belief system has taken the Kukiri Depths on, and turned the chasm into a mystifying conflation of myth, legend, lore, and truth. Many hundreds of deaths, thousands of souls, are attributed to the chasm. From accidental cave ins, to suffocations, to criminal punishments, the number of dwarves that have died at Kukiri Chasm is enormous. This has engendered volumes of superstitious folklore, including two of the best selling novels in Dwarfish history. Gameplay Translation: The negative energy associated with the deaths and murders of so many dwarves has, indeed, infested the Kukiri Depths with undead of every sort and description. There is even an Adult Blue Dracolich, and an associated hierarchy of the unliving.