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GreySage
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
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From: South-Central Pennsylvania
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Mon Apr 01, 2013 10:09 am
Deadly Caves?
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Here's another article I thought you guys/gals might find interesting, for incorporation into your games:
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/04/01/gate-to-hell-found-in-turkey/
Amazing the influence ancient teachings/mythology have on the game. 
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
Posts: 2821
From: LG Dyvers
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Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:48 am
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That's some cool information from the real world, Mystic! 
SirXaris
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GreySage
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
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From: South-Central Pennsylvania
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Mon Apr 01, 2013 12:50 pm
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Thanks! And let me add this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derweze
That thing looks great on Google Earth!  
And I can see either one of those being used in Greyhawk, or any other campaign world!
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
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From: LG Dyvers
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Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:34 pm
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| Mystic-Scholar wrote: |
Thanks! And let me add this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derweze
That thing looks great on Google Earth!
And I can see either one of those being used in Greyhawk, or any other campaign world! |
Wow! Talk about carbon emissions! We've set the earth on fire. 
SirXaris
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GreySage
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
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From: South-Central Pennsylvania
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Mon Apr 01, 2013 8:07 pm
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I see the one at Derweze being the entrance to the Nine Hells and the other being the entrance to The Abyss!
Mwahahahahahahahahahahaha!
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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Nov 07, 2004
Posts: 1847
From: Mt. Smolderac
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Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:34 am
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"...lethal mephitic vapors." means so much more to us that to regular readers. 
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
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From: LG Dyvers
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Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:58 am
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| smillan_31 wrote: |
| "...lethal mephitic vapors." means so much more to us that to regular readers. |
I, too, thought that was an inspired line from the article.
SirXaris
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Journeyman Greytalker
Joined: Oct 10, 2001
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Wed Apr 03, 2013 3:07 pm
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A personal favorite, the Cueva de Villa Luz
and the sulphur mine of Kawah Ijen
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GreySage
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
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From: South-Central Pennsylvania
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Wed Apr 03, 2013 3:48 pm
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Those are excellent, Aeolius, thanks for sharing!
I love the blue flames.
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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Nov 07, 2004
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From: Mt. Smolderac
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Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:40 am
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I read an article about this one recently, the Meeting House of the Jinn, which is just a cool name, as well as it being a stunning cave. My local favorite is Ape Cave, which I've been through. I wanted to organize a field trip for my player group, just so they could get a semi-realistic picture of what it's like going through subterranean tunnels, but never got around to it. I say semi-realistic because when we got through I would say, "Now imagine doing that in chain-mail or a jack-of-plates, carrying 25 lbs. of gear and trying to see by lantern or torchlight."
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
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From: SW WA state (Highvale)
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Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:54 am
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I'd never make for a good dungeon delver. Never. I wouldn't say that I am afraid of the dark, or below ground per se', but you add those two elements together, along with tight places, and myriad other variables, and FORGET IT!
Thusly, that is why I probably prefer playing surface-dwelling, nature-liking, sun-loving elves. I have not played a dwarf as a PC before in ALL my many years of role-play (MANY dwarven NPCs, though). It boils down to their philosophy and fondness for subterranean places.
Why any sane human would want to actually dungeon delve, or cavern delve, is beyond my realm of comprehension. Too many ways to die in a truly alien environment.
-Lanthorn
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Journeyman Greytalker
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Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:27 am
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| Lanthorn wrote: |
| I'd never Why any sane human would want to actually dungeon delve, or cavern delve, is beyond my realm of comprehension. Too many ways to die in a truly alien environment. |
Because spelunking is cool? :) Just take a gander at some of the formations in one of my favorites, Luray Caverns . When I was a teen, my father and I would go caving with the local Pathfinders (YMCA group), typically to smaller caves in Virginia.
Now if you want a truly alien environment, just add water to your caves.
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
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From: LG Dyvers
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Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:42 am
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I love blue holes, Aeolius. Those are some amazing geographical features. I've got some ideas for my next underwater adventure, featuring a blue hole...
SirXaris
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
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From: SW WA state (Highvale)
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Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:22 pm
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I'm not saying there aren't some truly amazing, beautiful features underground. Your picture shows that there obviously are such places to be found, as well as numerous geological features that have been photographed (anyone see that huge gypsum crystal cavern? astonishing and lovely). I'm just saying that the 'death factor' outweighs the risk...to most folks. Count me among them.
Leave the subterranean adventures to insane dungeon delvers, svirfnebli, drow, duergar, illithids, kuo-toa, mountain dwarves, myconids...etc.
-Lanthorn, Surface Dweller
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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Nov 07, 2004
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From: Mt. Smolderac
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Fri Apr 05, 2013 7:11 pm
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| Lanthorn wrote: |
| I'm just saying that the 'death factor' outweighs the risk...to most folks. Count me among them. |
Hey, with Ape cave I'm just talking about worming your way through an almost 4km long lava tube in the shadow of an active volcano. What could go wrong?
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GreySage
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
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From: South-Central Pennsylvania
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Sat Apr 06, 2013 7:16 am
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| smillan_31 wrote: |
| What could go wrong? |
I imagine that would depend heavily upon Pyremius . . . or possibly Jascar.
Sounds like quite the Adventure, Smillan! Wish I could be there for it! 
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GreySage
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From: LG Dyvers
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Sat Apr 06, 2013 7:45 am
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| smillan_31 wrote: |
| What could go wrong? |
Ha! You're speaking to a roomful of DMs, Smillan.
SirXaris
Last edited by SirXaris on Sat Apr 06, 2013 8:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
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From: SW WA state (Highvale)
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Sat Apr 06, 2013 9:29 am
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| smillan_31 wrote: |
| Hey, with Ape cave I'm just talking about worming your way through an almost 4km long lava tube in the shadow of an active volcano. What could go wrong? |
A friend of mine told me about it and its relative ease of travel.
Such a natural geological formation could be a type of religious shrine or holy place for clerics of Joramy.
Or Surtur!
-Lanthorn
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Paladin
Joined: Sep 07, 2011
Posts: 833
From: Houston Texas
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Tue Apr 09, 2013 9:55 am
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| Lanthorn wrote: |
I'm just saying that the 'death factor' outweighs the risk...to most folks. Count me among them.
Leave the subterranean adventures to insane dungeon delvers, svirfnebli, drow, duergar, illithids, kuo-toa, mountain dwarves, myconids...etc.
-Lanthorn, Surface Dweller |
Lol I don't often "spelunk" this particular thread, but the conversation intrigued me...
Long ago, when I wore a younger mans clothes, I lived and worked in New Mexico where coincidentally there are numorous caves, Carlesbad among them.
Back then they had(and would assume still do) hundreds that they new varied amounts about. They (Parks and Wildlife) would catagorize them based on that.
These catagories would include
we know where the entrance is
Major chambers identified
to its been fully mapped and surveyed
and ofcourse 3-4 catagories inbetween.
Anyway, none of these were open to the "general public", but if you had logged a qualifying amount of training in rockclimbing, repelling, etc and spelunking with the Parks and Wildlife department, you could schedule a "trip" similar to booking a private plane.
At first, you had to have a Park Ranger Rep in attendance, but as your levels of proficiency increased, you could book an itenerary with the P&W contact by defining which cave, who is going, when going etc.
This experience fueled my life long passion with caves. I have been in over 200 in 15 States and 4 countries. Some were vary mundane (almost mines) others were beyond description.
Are there hazards, to be certain... any that have done so would tell you stories of cave ice not to be confused with ice caves, soda straws, etc, but to me, it was not nearly as questionable a hobby as skydiving .....
The rewards out wiegh,, I have stood in caves in New Mexico and Arizona that the anasazi indians once occupied. Seen their wall paintings and artifacts that no one had since they were left there. It is humbling and awe inspiring. To see the beauty of calcite cave in central mexico is amazing. It sparkles as if Fey were playing there for eons.
Being a bit older and more settled I have reliquished those adventures to the young, However, I do have spelunking an underwater cave on my bucket list.
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GreySage
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
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From: South-Central Pennsylvania
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Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:28 pm
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| Dark_Lord_Galen wrote: |
| However, I do have spelunking an underwater cave on my bucket list. |
Wait a minute! What?
Spelunking? In an underwater cave? 
What? Scared you might fall . . . er, sink . . . scared you might sink to the bottom and not be able to "climb" back out?
Hahahahahahahahaha!
Too funny! Okay, DLG, I'm going to give you a chance to explain that one!
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Paladin
Joined: Sep 07, 2011
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From: Houston Texas
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Tue Apr 09, 2013 2:42 pm
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| Mystic-Scholar wrote: |
| Dark_Lord_Galen wrote: |
| However, I do have spelunking an underwater cave on my bucket list. |
Too funny! Okay, DLG, I'm going to give you a chance to explain that one! |
Looks like this MS
 or
or hopefully
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GreySage
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
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Tue Apr 09, 2013 5:08 pm
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Ah ha! So the rope is to insure that you don't get lost down there and the net is so that you can possibly catch a mermaid, a.k.a Manatee!
Boy, those "ancient mariners" most have been hitting the bottle pretty hard!
Looks awesome, DLG. Hope you get to fulfill your "dream."
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
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Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:29 pm
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| Mystic-Scholar wrote: |
Ah ha! So the rope is to insure that you don't get lost down there and the net is so that you can possibly catch a mermaid, a.k.a Manatee!
Boy, those "ancient mariners" most have been hitting the bottle pretty hard! |
That's exactly how the myth started, according to legend.
| Quote: |
| Looks awesome, DLG. Hope you get to fulfill your "dream." |
Until you find a kuo-toan shrine and discover that the 'mermaid' is actually a naked woman with a lobster head and pincers!
-Lanthorn
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Paladin
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Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:25 pm
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Hey but at least she's naked!!! gotta find the Good in any situation Lanthorn.
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
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Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:38 pm
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OK, DLG, you got no argument from me there (and I have to admit, I issued a chuckle at your reply).
Pretty pictures indeed, but Death can come clad in beautiful guises, too.
-Lanthorn
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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Nov 07, 2004
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Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:42 pm
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| Lanthorn wrote: |
| smillan_31 wrote: |
| Hey, with Ape cave I'm just talking about worming your way through an almost 4km long lava tube in the shadow of an active volcano. What could go wrong? |
A friend of mine told me about it and its relative ease of travel.
Such a natural geological formation could be a type of religious shrine or holy place for clerics of Joramy.
Or Surtur!
-Lanthorn |
It's pretty sweet!
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: Feb 05, 2013
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Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:56 pm
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Those are some amazing pics - thanks for posting them! I am a big fan of spelunking, although I've only seen the more 'touristy' caves open to the public...so far. They are beautiful, in every case.
To anyone interested in underwater spelunking, I can only doff my cap in respect and advise a psych test. Talk about a deadly sport! But I'm told that the things seen are worth the risk.
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GreySage
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Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:17 pm
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| bugsy wrote: |
| But I'm told that the things seen are worth the risk. |
You believe everything you're told, do you?
I have this tower in the Bright Desert that I'm trying to sell, of course, you'll have to evict the current Renter . . . a "dead beat" alcoholic Bakluni named Rary. I hear he sells some kind of charm bracelets . . . when he's sober. Interested?
Mwahahahahahahahahaha!
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