Black Gulch
A huge, magically created crevice in the Wharf District that connects Obsidian Bay directly to the UnderOerth.
Site Overview
- City: Obsidian Bay
- District: Wharf District
- Country: Domain of Obsidian Bay
- Leader: N/A
- Population: N/A
During the Fall of Obsidian Bay, the Blackrazor Guild fought valiantly to prevent the forces of the Scarlet Brotherhood from overwhelming the city's defenses.
The Brotherhood unleashed many different monstrocities against the city during the invasion, but the largest and most deadly was a gigantic, wingless wyrm. The monster -- a throwback to the earliest dragons -- towered above the warehouses of the Wharf District as it stormed up from The Docks, and killed hundreds with every expulsion of its poisonous breath weapon.
The terramancer Sven Kildare was one of the handful of Blackrazors tasked with stopping the monster. As his companions struggled to slay the creature, Sven thought to slow it by casting a dig spell in the monster's path.
The spell went off without a hitch, but proved to be far more effective than Sven had dreamed. A large hole appeared before the creature, which stepped in it. The creature stumbled, and its immense weight caused the hole to widen. As the Blackrazors watched on in wonder (and the rest of the city in horror), the hole rapidly expanded in size, swallowing the might wyrm hole, as well as several nearby warehouses.
When it had finished expanding, the gulch was 200 feet long, 75 feet wide, and several hundred feet deep. The deep hole penetrated into subterrean caverns beneath the sewers. Those caverns in turn connected to tunnels leading into the UnderOerth.
The city leaders have contemplated filling in the gulch, but there is no easy way to go about the job. The dwarven engineers hired to evaluate the gulch expressed concern that any attempts to fill it would worsen the sink hole, and instead recommended magically reinforceing the sides of the Gulch and establishing guards at the base to prevent incursions from the UnderDark.
The reinforcement of the Gulch has been ongoing since the city was re-taken in CY 589, but has been slow going.
The upper levels of the Gulch -- particularly those that tie into the sewers -- have been reinforced, and work has been ongoing on fortifications at its base. A lift now runs from the surface to the floor of the Gulch, and is used to transport workers, supplies, and City Guard patrols. A permanent guard post has been established at the Gulch, and a special alarm system has been established to warn of any attacks from below.
The lower-level fortifications -- which will include several stone and iron doors sealing off tunnels entering the Gulch -- are unfinished, and work on them is further slowed by the periodic floods that fill the base of the Gulch thanks to runoff from the city above.
The Gulch has become a favorite starting off point for adventurers, who must receive special permission from the city government to enter the crevice.
Organizations
- City Guard of Obsidian Bay: The City Guard assigned to protect incursions from the gulch.
