The Oily Maw
Beneath the ruined docks of Riftlight Pier lies The Oily Maw, a natural cavern warped over time by Gree-tainted waters mixed with industrial runoff. This eerie, oil-slicked cave system hums with an unnatural resonance, its walls seemingly alive with whispers and flickering reflections. The Maw’s depths are steeped in legend—some say it’s a conduit to The Underboil, while others believe it conceals a monstrous, gree-infused entity. Despite—or because of—its sinister reputation, the Maw draws its share of mystics and smugglers.
Geography
Accessible through jagged fissures beneath the charred docks, the cavern sprawls into interconnected tunnels, the depth of which is unknown. Its walls glisten perpetually and pools of thick, black liquid collect in uneven depressions. The Maw’s oppressive darkness is broken only by faint bioluminescent fungi, casting ghostly reflections on the oil-slick surfaces.
Ecosystem
Bioluminescent fungi thrive in the darkness of the Maw, feeding on the cavern’s strange brine. Occasional colonies of pale, sightless crustaceans scuttle across the slick floors, while eerie, translucent eels prowl the oil pools, feeding on organic debris carried in by tides.
Localized Phenomena
Whispers resonate throughout the Maw, a phenomenon attributed to a combination of acoustics and the volatile gases rising from its depths. These murmurs, though faint, are unnervingly clear, often resembling fragmented speech. Additionally, occasional bursts of phosphorescent gas ignite spontaneously, illuminating the cavern in brief, green-hued flashes.
Natural Resources
The bioluminescent fungi are occasionally harvested for their faintly luminous spores, used in rudimentary light sources or occult practices. Rare crystalline deposits, formed by mineral interactions with the gree, are rumored to hold arcane properties, making them highly sought after.
History
Legends of the Oily Maw date back to Riftlight Pier’s heyday, when sailors claimed to hear unearthly singing echoing from beneath the docks. After the Pier’s abandonment, the Maw became a magnet for outcasts and cultists.
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