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Lands of Deepearth	-	-	-	DSG

Geography: These caves are very close to the fiery geothermal
heat sources that constantly bake this portion of Deepearth.
Although the caves were originally formed by water eroding the
natural stone of the area, the small amount of water that now
flows into these caves is quickly evaporated by the blistering
heat.

The tunnel leading into the Chambers of Fire area was a naturally
formed cave that once contained a sizable stream. Heat
issuing from fissures in the caves has long since dried up any
vestiges of flowing water. The tunnel has been swept clean by frequent
blasts of tremendous heat, and is devoid of cave formations.
The temperature in the approach tunnel is so hot that
creatures not resistant to fire sustain 1d6 points of damage per
turn. If characters take protective measures, such as frequently
dousing themselves with water, they can avoid this damage.

The caves have formed as a number of large, roughly circular
caverns connected by an assortment of artificial and natural tunnels.
Each of the large caves is split by a few long, narrow fissures
in the floor. These fissures are thousands of feet deep, and
often belch out blistering clouds of smoke, poisonous gas,
steam, and fire. An eruption of one of these substances (25%
chance for any given type) occurs an average of once per hour in
each cavern. The eruption lasts for 1d6 rounds.

The average temperature in each of these caves is dangerously
hot by human standards. Creatures not resistant to fire suffer
1d6 points of damage per round here. Protective measures
such as the water dousing mentioned above reduce this damage
to half, but do not eliminate it entirely.

If an eruption from one of the fissures occurs while characters
are in the cave, mundane protective measures are to no avail. If
steam or fire erupts, characters in the cavern sustain 6d6 points
of damage per round, with a saving throw vs. breath weapon
reducing this to half damage. If poison gas erupts, a saving throw
vs. poison is necessary to avoid death. Smoke eruptions fill the
cave for 1d4 turns, with the effects described on page 36.

There is a 50% chance that a given fissure (3d6 feet wide) is
bridged in at least one spot by a slender stone arch.

Denizens: Most earthly creatures are unable to survive in the
fiery environment of these caverns. Three types of unearthly
creatures do reside in the area, however.

Mephits are the most common denizens here, and are represented
in all four of their forms: fire, lava, smoke, and steam.
Mephits are 50% likely to be encountered immediately following
an eruption of the appropriate type. Lava mephits are associated
with poisonous gas eruptions for this purpose.

These creatures are generally sent to the Prime Plane to
accomplish some fiendish or demonic purpose, although it
seems that the mephits frequent this area simply because they
like it. Of course, if humans or other earthly creatures are
encountered, the mephits cheerfully attack. Only in the remote
cavern (described under Unique Features) do these infernal
creatures seem to pursue a goal.

Fire bats are also common among these caves. They flap
about the area, swooping adroitly into and out of the fissures.

Occasionally, the fire bats extend their flights into the caverns
approaching the area, but they do not remain away from their
fiery heat sources for long.

The third heat-loving denizens of the area are groups of
magmen. Their principal activity is climbing the sheer walls of the
fissures from the furnaces below so that they can joyously leap
back down, plummeting thousands of feet to splash into the molten
rock below. The magmen spend several days making the
laborious climb just for the fun of the dive back down. They
eagerly attempt to ignite any creatures or unusual objects they
encounter while in the caves, not out of maliciousness, but to
gratify their other-worldly sense of fun. The magmen would enjoy
persuading other creatures to participate in their diving game,
but so far they have found no takers.

Resources: This smoky, flaming group of caverns has few
resources useful to surface dwellers. Any water that flows into the
area is quickly sizzled into steam by the ferocious heat. The air
itself is smoky, smells bad, and occasionally becomes poisonous.
The caverns do have a series of narrow fissures in their ceilings
through which most of the foul air can escape, so enough fresh
air flows into the area to make the atmosphere breathable. Mildew
has formed in some of the cooler out-of-the way places here,
but this is the only form of plant life in the area.

Unique Features: The largest fissure is located in the area’s
most remote cavern. It is here that the mephits diligently toil.
When eruptions occur from this fissure, 21-40 mephits
(1d20+20) of the appropriate type enter the cavern with the first
shock of the eruption. They aggressively toil to widen the fissure
from its current width of 20 feet by chipping away at the walls with
an assortment of superhardened metal tools. A number of these
tools are lying about the cavern. They resemble small pickaxes
with stone handles and metal picks, and are completely irnpervious
to fire.

The mephits delight in attacking any intruders in this area, but
instead of killing them outright, they are dragged to the fissure
and thrown in as offerings. The mephits are attempting to widen
the fissure enough to allow the passage of a monstrously evil
creature from one of the dark lower planes. They have been toiling
for many years, and will continue to do so until they achieve
their goal, or a major catastrophe (earthquake, cave-in, etc.)
occurs and seals the fissure.