Khaz Algar is a land of stone and silence, but below its surface, the ground breathes. Beneath the rugged terrain lies a sprawling network of tunnels, many of which were once forgotten by even the oldest dwarven records. These tunnels range from narrow crevices barely wide enough for a gnome, to vast underground halls supported by Titan-era architecture. Explorers, delvers, and treasure seekers have all begun pushing deeper into these paths, lured by rumors of lost relics and unexplored Titan constructs. But the deeper one travels, the more the stone seems to resist. Walls shift slightly when unobserved, and strange sounds echo even when no one speaks. The tunnels of Khaz Algar are more than stone passageways—they are alive in some strange way, infused with arcane pulses and disturbed by what lies beneath. And with each step downward, travelers risk not just their lives, but their sanity. These paths are ancient, and they do not welcome the living.
Mapping the Maze
The first challenge any delving crew faces in Khaz Algar is navigation. Traditional maps are useless within hours of creation. Some tunnels collapse and reroute, others twist into new shapes seemingly overnight. Scholars believe this isn’t just the result of geological instability, but the work of active mechanisms—possibly Titan fail-safes—that reconfigure the terrain to protect what lies further down. Mapping efforts now rely on enchanted chalks, echo-location crystals, and a new form of resonant cartography that uses sound waves to identify safe paths. Even with these tools, only a fraction of the tunnel system has been reliably charted. The Ringing Deeps, one of the central regions, continues to elude full exploration, with crews reporting entire corridors that disappear after entry. Some delvers speak of loops in time or reality, where tunnels lead them back to where they started—days later. These anomalies are increasing, and many now believe the tunnels may not merely be passageways, but dimensional folds.
Hazards Below
- Collapsing corridors and unstable ceilings
- Arcane traps triggered by sound or movement
- Nerubian ambush nests along forgotten shafts
- Void pockets causing mental disorientation
- Ancient golems still following corrupted routines
While most believe the deepest dangers come from natural threats like rockfalls and gas pockets, the reality is far more complex. Arcane traps left by the Titans or repurposed by the Nerubians activate unexpectedly, releasing bursts of mind-affecting energy or unleashing spectral guardians that phase through walls. In some regions, explorers have found traces of void energy—thick patches of darkness that distort time and emotion. Prolonged exposure leads to hallucinations, loss of direction, and in some cases, violent outbursts. Worse still are the creatures that now call these tunnels home. Nerubian scouts dig silently through side walls, striking from shadows. Others report massive worms, longer than airships, whose movements shift entire caverns. The most unnerving reports describe glimpses of watchers—hulking stone constructs whose eyes glow dimly but follow every movement. These dangers are not random. They are warnings. The tunnels do not want to be explored, and something deeper is willing to defend them at all costs.
Major Tunnel Networks and Features
Despite the dangers, certain tunnel systems have been partially stabilized and named. These paths offer both opportunities and risks, depending on their depth and magical interference. Some routes have become central to current delving operations, while others are now classified as no-return zones due to high loss rates. Below is a table detailing key tunnels and their unique features.
| Network Name | Depth Level | Notable Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Ringing Deeps | Mid | Acoustic anomalies, unstable echoes |
| The Obsidian Veins | Shallow | High mineral value, Nerubian scouts |
| Forgotten Spiral | Deep | Chrono-distortions, corrupted constructs |
The Deeper You Go
There’s a saying among delvers: “The stone remembers.” In Khaz Algar, this feels more like a prophecy than a proverb. The deeper one ventures, the more the world seems to bend—gravity shifts subtly, time slows, light behaves unpredictably. Some scholars now theorize that Khaz Algar’s deepest levels may not exist in the same plane as the surface. Runes on the walls pulse with energy, and some explorers have vanished entirely, their names scratched out by wind or time as if they never existed. And yet, something calls from below. The Titans may have built these tunnels for containment, not access. If so, then the paths may be less about exploration and more about sealing. What lies at the heart of Khaz Algar remains unknown—but every step downward suggests we’re not meant to find it. Or worse, it’s waiting to be found. And once uncovered, it may never be silenced again.
